Members of the public are being asked to help the NHS on Thursday, when some doctors may be taking industrial action.
The British Medical Association is calling on its members to only provide emergency or urgent care on Thursday June 21st 2012, in response to changes to the NHS pension scheme.
The number of staff who might take action is not yet known but the NHS is working with staff to ensure that essential services are maintained.
Dave Kerry, Head of Emergency Planning for NHS Norfolk and Waveney said: “The NHS has plans in place to ensure patient safety and quality of care is not compromised during periods of disruption.
“Early indications are that most services will continue as normal. However it is common sense that everyone needs to think carefully about how they use NHS services on Thursday and lighten the load on the NHS.”
People who have appointments already booked should assume these are proceeding unless they are contacted by their GP or hospital practice and told otherwise.
On Thursday, people who feel they need to see a doctor urgently should contact their GP surgery as normal.
The Out of Hours GP services for Norfolk and for Great Yarmouth and Waveney are expected to operate as usual.
Ask your pharmacist – patients can often find the help they need sooner and more conveniently if they first seek advice from their community pharmacy. They are highly qualified and can offer advice and medicines for many health issues.
GPs: All 120 GP practices across Norfolk and Waveney will open for their usual hours on Thursday June 21st and will be providing urgent or emergency consultations. A snapshot survey conducted by NHS Norfolk and Waveney suggests the majority of are also expecting to provide routine appointments.
A spokesman for the Norfolk and Waveney Local Medical Committee, which represents GP Practices, said: “Individual practices will decide whether they undertake routine appointments. Patient safety continues to be doctors’ priority, regardless of whether nor not they are taking industrial action, and all affected practices will have taken steps to ensure this is not compromised.”
Hospitals: In local hospitals, all urgent and emergency care will be provided as normal, including maternity services. As of Monday (June 18th), all routine services at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn were expected to proceed as usual and the James Paget University Hospital and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, a very small number of clinics or routine operations may have to be re-scheduled.
Community and mental health: All services are expected to be provided as usual although the situation is being monitored on a daily basis.
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