Resident doctors in England will walk out for five days from 7am on Friday 14 November to 7am on Wednesday 19 November, after talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government failed to produce a deal. NHS trusts across England have published patient guidance for the walkout, warning that some planned care will be postponed while emergency services stay open.

What patients should do

Trusts say patients should attend appointments as planned unless they are contacted to rearrange. Emergency departments remain open around the clock, and maternity and urgent cancer care are being prioritised. People with an urgent health need are being asked to use NHS 111 online or by phone first, and to call 999 only for life-threatening emergencies. GP practices will stay open during the strike, and other NHS staff, including consultants and specialist doctors, will still be working.

A long-running dispute

Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, make up a large part of the NHS medical workforce, from newly qualified doctors to those with several years of experience. The BMA says the dispute covers pay and working conditions, and that the walkout follows the collapse of talks with the government. The strike is the latest round of industrial action in a dispute that has repeatedly disrupted planned hospital care.

Consultants have separately announced a 48-hour walkout on 25 and 26 November unless Health Secretary Yvette Cooper takes action to prevent it, with hospitals expected to run Christmas Day-level services. NHS trusts say they have tried and tested plans in place to keep patients safe during the resident doctors’ strike, and will rebook postponed appointments as soon as possible. Sources: Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Kent and Medway.