Suffolk NHS boss says they're prepared for junior doctors strikes

Junior doctors are on day two of their six day walkout

Author: Jasmine OakPublished 4th Jan 2024

Junior doctors in Suffolk and across the country are on day two of their six day walkout over pay and working conditions.

Those represented by the British Medical Association have been striking since 7 am yesterday and will continue until next Tuesday.

We spoke to the chief operating officer at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) Nicola Cottington.

She told us these strikes have come at a very busy time, where the NHS is "already under immense pressure" coming out of the festive period.

She explained they are facing a situation where "most of our beds are full."

They are in high demand have have "long waits" in their emergency department.

Because of this, she is encouraging people to use "alternative services like using 111 or their community pharmacy" for non-urgent matters.

How they have prepared

Nicola explained because there have been multiple occasions of industrial action since late 2022, their teams are "very experienced in planning" for when they arrive and they have "well-practised processes now which are very effective."

They have also contacted patients ahead of time to let them know if their appointments have been rescheduled, but have prioritised those in the most need and continue to remain in "constant contact" with the patients that have been affected:

"Of course, people are disappointed and frustrated when they have to have their operations or appointments rearranged, whether that's for industrial action reasons or for other reasons."

She wants people to be aware that if they have not been contacted about their appointment or surgery being cancelled, then they should still attend.

As well as this, she informed us there are "a lot of respiratory and other viruses circulating, so if you are unwell please do not visit someone in the hospital as they do not want anything to spread to other patients."

Supporting Staff

We asked Nicola if she was able to share her thoughts on the strikes and although she could not comment directly she did say she "supports (their) staff's legal right to take strike action."

She continued, noting that this "isn't a dispute between our junior doctors and the trust, and it's a matter for the government."

She also confirmed they will support their staff who strike and those who will be working, as well as prioritising patient safety "making sure those patients that need our services the most receive it even during these really difficult times. "

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