Cheltenham A&E closing for three weeks due to strikes

Cheltenham's A&E unit will not fully reopen until 9 January

The emergency department in Cheltenham will be closed until 9 January due to two planned strikes by junior doctors.

Cheltenham General Hospital's A&E shut at 08:00 GMT on Tuesday and will be closed until 08:00 on Saturday 23 December.

Some services will be restored on Saturday as the A&E becomes a minor injury and illness unit.

Then from 20:00 on 1 January, the entire department will shut once more until 08:00 on 9 January.

Junior doctors in England will be on strike for three days from 07:00 on 20 December and six days from 07:00 on 3 January.

Professor Mark Pietroni, medical director at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said it is the toughest period the trust has had to plan for.

"It's going to be very difficult. Two strikes so close together and the second strike - which is six days long and the longest ever strike in NHS history either side of the Christmas period - it's very difficult to plan for this."

'Long wait times'

Mr Pietroni said the trust is focusing on providing safe emergency care and looking after patients on wards.

The Trust will also work with primary care staff, the ambulance service and rapid response teams to try and keep as many people at home.

In regards to winter pressures, Mr Pietroni said the last two weeks have been tough as the trust has had higher-than-expected number of admissions at both its hospitals which has resulted in delays getting through.

"Waits are long, which is really why we'd encourage people not to come at all if they don't need to," he said.

Mr Pietroni urged people who do not have life-threatening illness or injury not to go out to A&E in Cheltenham and to seek help elsewhere, such as through 111, a GP or a pharmacist.

Patients who have a planned hospital operation, outpatient clinic or procedure between during the planned strike should attend as usual unless they hear from their NHS Trust to advise otherwise.