Junior doctor strike: 1,500 appointments cancelled in Gloucestershire

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

Health services in Gloucestershire are under pressure and facing a difficult start to the year because of strike action, NHS managers have said.

Since junior doctors began their walkout, 1,500 outpatient appointments and 230 operations have been cancelled.

The strike has also led to the emergency department of Cheltenham General closing until 9 January.

Junior doctors in England are taking strike action for six days.

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

"We have just come out of the double bank holiday period for Christmas and New Year and it's been a very tough time.

"We've got a large number of patients waiting for beds in the emergency department, we've had long waits over the holiday period."

'It comes at a cost'

Mr Pietroni insisted that the trust had made plans in advance to protect services: "We have rotas in place and we will provide safe care for the people of Gloucestershire, but it comes at a cost.

"The cost this time around is about 1,500 outpatient appointments have been cancelled and about 230 operations or day care procedures cancelled."

Cancer surgery has continued, although some operations have been re-scheduled to start at different times. Mr Pietroni also said closing Cheltenham's A&E was the right decision, but it was a difficult one to make.

"It was so we could safely staff one unit. I'm of the opinion that by staffing strongly at least one unit, is better than two departments that are poorly staffed, particularly given the very high pressure of work we see over Christmas and the New Year."

'It could have been worse'

Despite the pressures, he thought staff had done well: "I think given the context, it could have been worse."

He 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 strike should attend as usual unless they hear from their NHS Trust to advise otherwise.

The British Medical Association said patient safety was its top priority at all times and it had plans in place with NHS trusts to constantly review staffing levels and bring striking doctors back to work in an emergency.