Still come forward for healthcare despite nurses' strike, NHS leaders say

Up to 100,000 nurses and members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) nationally will walk out on Thursday with some disruption expected.

It is likely to affect some services in the West Midlands, but workers at the main hospitals in the Black Country did not meet the threshold to strike.

NHS bosses say they will contact anyone whose appointment has to be rescheduled due to strikes. People should still attend appointments if not contacted.

Jess Sokolov, regional medical director at NHS England in the Midlands, said: "No one should hesitate in coming forward for emergency care tomorrow – it is vital anybody needing non-life threatening care should use 111 online and people should always call 999 in a life-threatening emergency.

“Across the region, pharmacies and GP services will be operating as normal and patients should reach out to these local services as they normally would.

“While strikes will cause inevitable disruption to services, local NHS teams have worked hard to maintain as many appointments as possible, so it is important people attend appointments as planned unless they have been contacted for it to be rearranged.”

Patients should call 999 if it is a medical or mental health emergency (when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk), with ambulances prioritising situations with an immediate risk to life.

In non-life-threatening situations alternative support will be available through NHS 111 online or through the NHS 111 phone line. General practice, community pharmacies, and dentistry are not impacted by the action.

The NHS has been preparing extensively for industrial action and for winter, with plans already in place to manage additional demand including 24/7 control centres, additional bed capacity, more mental health support for ambulance services and more community falls services.