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NHS industrial action

Updated February 2023

Nursing and ambulance staff in England are taking part in strikes in December 2022. The CPA is sharing information about what is happening and implications for care.

What is happening? §

Trade unions representing some NHS staff are in dispute with the Government over the 2022/23 pay award. A number of the unions have balloted their NHS members to take part in industrial action.

Find latest information about strike dates, and advice for the public on the NHS England website.

Access to health services on strike days§

Anyone who needs urgent care should use NHS111 online or call NHS 111 to be assessed and directed to the right care for them. If they do not have internet access then 111 helpline is available.

Emergency care will continue to be available across all parts of the country.

When someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, they should seek emergency care in the normal way, by calling 999 or attending A&E.

Everyone who has an appointment should attend as planned, unless your local NHS provider has contacted you to reschedule. 

GP services will be running as normal on strike days. Please continue to attend scheduled GP appointments.

 

Implications for local NHS services §

Not every hospital and ambulance service will be affected by strike action. You can check which Trusts are affected on each trade union’s website: 

Contingency plans§

The Department of Health and Social Care his highlighted the following points:

  • The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to mitigate risks to patient safety and manage disruption, and we are working with them closely. 
  • Hospitals will do everything they can to ensure patients and the public are kept safe and emergency and urgent treatments will be prioritised during strike action. 
  • NHS England has been clear the default approach is that appointments and operations should continue unless there is a clear patient safety reason to reschedule. 
  • Nobody should be put off seeking urgent or emergency care during strike days, with key 999 services continuing to operate.

Implications for social care§

Continued NHS Industrial action: DHSC letter – 22 December 2022 – DHSC

Joint letter from Director General for Adult Social Care and Chief Social Worker for Adults to social care sector, reflecting what they have heard about impact and best practice. Outlines plans to review lessons learned. ICBs and Trusts have been reminded to consider and engage with those delivering services in social care to ensure there are joint plans in place to manage and mitigate the impact of industrial action on social care, and this will continue into the new year. ICBs and Trusts have also been asked to establish appropriate escalation routes for emergency issues and consider how emergency contact plans will be communicated to the social care sector.

 

The Care Provider Alliance has written to Deborah Sturdy, the Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care asking for clarification on how care services will be supported during the planned nurses strikes. In particular, the CPA has asked for an urgent dialogue and reassurance from DHSC and NHSE of the clinical continuity plans for the following activities:

  • Planned nursing interventions – e.g. dressings, catheter care, diabetes management - blood glucose monitoring and insulin administration.
  • Emergency nursing interventions – e.g. PEG/ Catheter has come out and a community nurse is required to replace it.
  • Delegated nursing tasks – where advice/support is required from the delegator.

The CPA will continue to push for clarification on these issues.

Read the CPA letter re nursing industrial action