Hospital unit in Sheffield to close this weekend because of strikes
Junior doctors are walking out from Saturday 24th February to Thursday 29th February in a row over pay
A hospital in Sheffield has announced it will close its Minor Injuries Unit this weekend, as junior doctors prepare to walkout on strike.
Hallamshire Hospital said industrial action means there will be "considerably fewer" doctors available and warned waiting times will be "much long than normal".
Kirsten Major, Chief Executive at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said: "Although we have plans in place to maintain safe levels of staffing for our patients, we are asking people to consider whether A&E is the right place for them before attending, and to take some other simple actions to help services run as smoothly as possible.”
Junior doctors were given an 8.8% pay rise last summer, with the Government offering an extra 3% towards the end of last year.
The British Medical Association reject that offer, because they say it does not make up for a real-term pay cut of around a quarter since 2008.