'Reconsider sport and DIY' to reduce NHS pressure

Junior doctors began their longest ever strike on Wednesday

People are being asked to do "all they can" to minimise the risk of getting ill or injured this weekend, such as not doing certain sports or DIY jobs.

The NHS in Suffolk and north east Essex says colder weather and the ongoing junior doctors' strike are putting extra pressure on services.

Health bosses want people to "really think about" doing less risky activities.

The six-day junior doctors' strike, which lasts until Tuesday, is the longest period of industrial action by NHS workers in its history.

Darren Maguire from the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board said: "We have seen longer waits in our emergency departments and longer delays for our ambulances which is because of high demand on our system's services.

"During this weekend, we will be running an incident room to oversee its response and to ensure our finite resources are deployed in the most effective way."

Mr Maguire urged people to assist "hard pressed clinicians" by helping medically fit friends and family discharge from hospital.

Junior doctors have been on strike intermittently since March 2023

On Wednesday, Matthew Hopkins, chief executive of the Mid and South Essex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, told BBC Essex that its hospitals were prioritising emergency care and cancer treatment during the industrial action.

"This is the beginning of a troubling and difficult period," he said.

This weekend, temperatures in Suffolk and north east Essex are expected to get as low as 0C (32F).

The NHS said people in need of non-emergency care or mental health support should consider contacting their pharmacist, GP practice, 111 or visiting the NHS website.