Nottinghamshire NHS chiefs thank public for their support during junior doctors' strikes

The strikes ran for four days last week and impacted the county’s hospitals, mental health services, GP practices and other NHS services.

The industrial action was led by the British Medical Association (BMA).

Hospitals and other health and care services faced increased pressure due to the reduction in staff.

And despite the industrial action now being over, the public are still being asked to continue to think carefully about which services they use.

Dr Stephen Shortt, deputy medical director at NHS Nottinghamshire said: “Firstly, I would like to apologise for any disruption that patients may have faced over the last few days.

"I would also like to thank the public for their understanding and support this last week, your help in choosing the right services and only attending emergency departments when necessary has played an important part in making sure we continued to run smoothly.

“As a system, we have worked hard to keep essential urgent and emergency services running so that patients can continue to access the vital medical attention they need.

"The actions we have put in place to ensure we can continue to care for emergency and urgent patients have been effective and we’d like to thank everyone who has helped.

“I want to ask the public to continue to support us.

“Please help by only calling 999 or attending A&E in a genuine emergency.

"There are other services available, including our urgent treatment centres and NHS111, GPs and pharmacies, so please choose the right service for your needs.”

“While the NHS is here to see the public safely throughout this industrial action, there are significantly fewer doctors to call upon – which means it could take longer for patients with less urgent concerns to be seen.

“Help us continue to provide care for those who need it most by using the right services at the right time.”

NHS chiefs are also offering the following continued advice and reminders:

• Keep 999 and A&E clear for genuine life-threatening emergencies;
• Use NHS 111 online or by phone for other urgent care needs. If you are contacting 111, please give as much information as you can, as that will help you get the right support and advice;
• Contact your GP practice for non-urgent care;
• If you need mental health support call the crisis line on 0808 196 3779 – it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to people of all ages;
• Visit your local pharmacy for help with coughs, colds, tummy troubles and stings – find a pharmacy near you here;
• Patient discharge – help NHS staff get patients who are ready for discharge home so hospital beds are available for people who need them most urgently. Most patients will continue to recover at home once they leave hospital. In fact, many patients need to leave hospital to be able to complete their recovery fully.