QEH promises to maintain emergency care during doctors’ strike

Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital has promised to maintain emergency and life-preserving care during the five days of doctors’ strikes that started yesterday.The British Medical Association (BMA) announced that junior doctors will undertake five days of industrial action from 7am on Thursday to 7am on Tuesday, July 2.The hospital says its focus will be on maintaining emergency and life-preserving care during this period and it will continue to see and treat patients with the greatest clinical need before those with less severe issues.

For serious or life-threatening emergencies – like chest pain, breathing difficulties, signs of a stroke, or bleeding that won’t stop, you should call 999 or go straight to your local emergency department.For other urgent medical help during the strike, visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111 for anything that feels urgent, or if you are unsure what to do.The 111 team can often help on the phone, including mental health support, but for more serious issues, they can also direct you to the most appropriate place, including arranging a home visit or booking in a timed appointment at an emergency department. For non-urgent cases when needing medical advice and it is not an emergency, speak to your GP practice or a pharmacist.If you have a medical appointment, you should attend as planned unless advised otherwise. If you are unable to make any NHS appointment, contact the number on your appointment letter so that it can be reallocated to another patient.If you are contacted to cancel your appointment, the QEH is urging people to be kind and respectful to staff and “know that they will be working hard to reschedule these as quickly as possible”.