Resident doctors in England, represented by the British Medical Association (BMA), are going on strike from 7am on Wednesday 17 December to 7am on Monday 22 December.
While we are working to keep as many services running as possible, some appointments may need to be postponed to help us safely manage the impact of the industrial action. This will enable available staff to focus on delivering urgent and emergency care during this period.
Patients should continue to attend your appointment during this time as planned, unless you are contacted directly by our team to reschedule.
Choose services wisely
The public are urged to continue to support the NHS during the resident doctors’ strike by choosing the most appropriate service for their needs.
Emergency care will be prioritised, and people are reminded that 999 and A&E are still the right service when someone is seriously ill or seriously injured, or their life is at risk.
However, for anything that isn’t a life-threatening illness or injury, please take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most and use alternative NHS services. This includes walk-in centres, minor injuries units, or urgent treatment centres.
These services can help with issues such as sprains, suspected broken bones, cuts, bruises, and other minor injuries, and many are open until the evening.
GP practices will continue to be open as normal during the resident doctor’s strike. Please continue to attend your GP and dental appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
You can find more information about how to access the right care and available services on the NHS Sussex website.
Rise in flu cases in our hospitals
We know that flu cases are surging and our hospitals are entering the most pressured time of the year.
To protect both patients and staff, we have introduced immediate precautionary measures and ask all staff and visitors to wear surgical face masks in the following areas:
- Adult and Paediatric Emergency Departments
- Emergency Floors and Admission Departments
- Wards where flu cases have been confirmed
You can help reduce the spread of flu and protect yourself by:
- Getting your annual flu vaccine (if eligible)
- Practicing good hand hygiene
- Avoiding hospital visits if you are unwell, unless you need urgent care
Find more about flu precautions on our website.