Local hospital Trust urges patients to select healthcare services wisely ahead of the bank holiday weekend and impending strike action | News

With a series of bank holidays fast approaching, health and care organisations in West Yorkshire are asking the public to continue to work with them to ensure people can get the help and support they need, when they need it. 

Following the Easter bank holiday weekend, junior doctors across the country will begin four days of industrial strike action, which is scheduled to take place straight after Easter Monday. The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust is asking the public to play their part by taking simple steps to look after themselves, their loved ones and check-in on vulnerable family members and neighbours.

The Trust which runs Pinderfields Hospital, Dewsbury District Hospital and Pontefract Hospital wants patients to use the service that is right for them to ensure they get timely treatment for their condition by the appropriate medical professional.

Patients should attend their appointments as planned, unless contacted to rearrange. 

Dr Sarah Robertshaw, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“During bank holiday weekends, our hospitals usually see an increase in the number of people attending our Emergency Departments (A&E).

“Next week, with the planned junior doctor strike action taking place straight after the Easter bank holiday, we are anticipating that our hospitals will be under enormous pressure as well as there being fewer doctors on shift than usual. During the last period of junior doctor strike action, nearly half of our usually available doctors were not available to work.

“Our teams across the trust and in our A&E departments remain absolutely committed to providing a service for those patients who require urgent medical care due to serious illness or injury or because their life is at risk. This means that people who do not need emergency care will experience long waiting to be seen and some may need to be redirected to more appropriate services if their condition is not serious.

“If you are unsure, please access other community NHS services, such as your local GP or pharmacy, or use the NHS 111 service before coming to A&E. NHS 111 call handlers are trained to help you and make sure you get the right urgent treatment in the right place.

“We ask the public to please continue to help and support us by making the right decision about where to access medical care.”

Here’s how you can get the help you need during the bank holidays:

General Practice

A range of local services will continue to be available to meet your healthcare needs during the industrial action, including your GP practice. You can get face-to-face appointments for urgent problems and book routine appointments in advance and when your own GP practice is closed through the GP Care Wakefield service.

The service is available between 5pm and 9.30pm on weekdays; 9am and 5pm on Saturdays; and 9am and 3pm on Sundays and bank holidays. All you need to do is contact your own practice telephone number, at any time of day and you will get through to the right service.

Urgent and emergency care

• For urgent help for people aged five and over 111 online (www.111.nhs.uk) can provide health care advice and direct you to a suitable service. This could be an appointment with a local out-of-hours GP or dentist. You can also call NHS 111 if you aren’t able to access online services, or if you’re trying to get help get help for a child under five. Call 999 if it’s a life-threatening emergency.
   
• Visit the urgent treatment centre, King Street Walk in Centre in Wakefield, which is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, between 10am and 10pm. They can treat a variety of conditions that are too urgent to wait for a GP appointment, but do not need emergency treatment at an A&E.

Mental health support

• Mental health support will continue to be available throughout the bank holiday period. Visit https://togetherwe-can.com/mental-health for details of local services. For urgent help in a mental health crisis, call your local 24 hr helpline for Wakefield which is: 0800 183 0558. 

Pharmacy

• Please remember to be prepared for long weekends, and order prescription medicine you need in good time so you don’t run out when your GP practice or pharmacy may be closed. Using Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) means your prescription will be ready without having to contact your GP each time. Ask your GP or pharmacist about eRD today.
• A well-stocked medicine cabinet or first aid kit can be used to treat most common ailments at home.
• You can also call into your local pharmacy for expert advice on many common illnesses such as headaches, sore throats and aches and pains, and there is no need to book an appointment.

Further information

If you need medical help but it’s not a 999 emergency, please don’t go to A&E, go to www.111.nhs.uk, and keep A&E for genuine emergencies such as major injuries like broken limbs, loss of consciousness and shortness of breath.

If you’re worried about your child’s health, you can find online healthcare advice recommended by local healthcare professionals at wyhealthiertogether.nhs.uk 

For information about a range of local services, including mental health support, please visit the Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership website