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Strike action is taking place on a number of dates throughout September.  

• Consultant doctors will strike between 19-21 September. 

• Junior doctor colleagues will strike between 20-23 September.  

• Members of the multi-profession union Unite will strike between 13-15 September and 16-22 September. 

During the period of industrial action, we ask you to consult your pharmacist, GP or NHS111 for non-urgent healthcare conditions, and call 999 if your health need is life threatening.  

Patient safety is our number one priority, so we will be adjusting our services and the way we staff them to ensure our quality of care is not compromised. 

We will continue to provide urgent and emergency care and maternity care to people who need it. However, those in less urgent need of care may experience longer waiting times than normal. 

Prioritising patients most in need

Some appointments, including surgeries, may need to be postponed or rearranged. Priority will be given to those patients with the most pressing health needs. 

If there are changes to an appointment that you have arranged at our hospitals during the strike period, we will contact you. If you do not hear from us, please attend your appointment as normal. 

If you are pregnant and concerned about the health of yourself or your baby, please, call the helpline number listed in your notes or attend your maternity unit.

We are also working closely with partners across north east London to secure enhanced community support so patients don’t have to stay in hospital unnecessarily.

What is a junior doctor?

Junior doctors make up half of the medical workforce at our trust and include doctors ranging from those who have recently finished medical school, up to doctors with 10 years' experience.

Junior doctors help our hospitals run smoothly by leading on essential parts of your care. Their roles range from ordering tests or x-rays and referring patients to other medical teams, to discharging patients from hospital and reviewing sick or deteriorating patients, but there's a lot more to the job than that.

What is a consultant?

Consultants are senior grade doctors that have completed full medical training in a specialised area of medicine and are listed on the GMC’s specialist register. They have clinical responsibilities and administrative responsibilities in managing junior doctors.

After graduating from medical school, it takes a doctor between six and eight years to become a consultant.

Here’s how you can help

There are a number of ways you can help us care for people who need it most. 

• If you’re caring for vulnerable people, such as the elderly, children and people with long-term conditions, get in touch with your GP if you have concerns about accessing medical care
• Remember there are other healthcare options available instead of calling 999. You can visit your pharmacist or GP, call or visit NHS 111.

In the event that industrial action is called off, we will make every effort to reinstate any appointments that have been cancelled as soon as possible.

On behalf of staff and patients, we want the industrial disputes resolved as soon as possible but pay in the NHS is a matter for the Government and trade unions.

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Have a question about the strikes and how it might affect you? Read our FAQs