'Majority' of junior doctors at Royal Surrey expected to join strike

Author: Grace McGachyPublished 4th Apr 2023

The majority of junior doctors at the Royal Surrey are expected to take part in a walk out during industrial action next week.

A strike over pay is planned to take place from from 06:59 on Tuesday 11 April until 06:59 on Saturday 15 April.

The walk out will follow a four day bank holiday weekend and falls during the Easter school holidays and the Guildford Hospital says this will add additional pressures:

"The days leading into and immediately after bank holiday weekends are always challenging for the NHS and as these strikes also occurring during the Easter holiday period this will add additional pressures in covering pre-booked annual leave as staff spend time with their families."

The NHS Trust in charge of the hospital says it will need to reschedule some operations, treatments and outpatient appointments but those needing emergency urgent care should come forward as normal.

Who are junior doctors?

Junior doctors are qualified doctors who have anywhere up to eight years’ experience depending on their specialty.

Around half of all doctors in the NHS are junior doctors.