The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will be taking strike action at Bradford Teaching Hospitals on Monday, 6 and Tuesday, 7 February. This will impact services at our hospitals.
Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) staff will also be taking industrial action on Monday, 6 February.
During strike action, urgent and emergency treatment will be our priority. We are working closely with the RCN to ensure procedures are in place to maintain safe care for patients, while facilitating the right of those colleagues who wish to take legal industrial action.
If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned. We will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled or switched to a phone/online appointment due to strike action.
We will be re-arranging any postponed appointments as a priority. We appreciate this situation is frustrating for patients affected and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
It is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. On days where there is strike action, patients should only call 999 if it is a medical or mental health emergency (when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk).
Where the situation is not life-threatening, alternative support will be available through NHS111 online or through calling NHS 111. For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, please visit the NHS UK website.
GP appointments will not be impacted by this action, so if you require these services you can access these in the usual way.
Access to mental health hospital and community services at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust are unaffected and will remain open as normal.
We value our colleagues and want to see a resolution to this national dispute as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions
What is happening?
Trade unions representing NHS staff are in dispute with the government over the 2022/23 pay award. A number of the unions have balloted their NHS members to take part in industrial action. As a result, members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) are striking on 15 and 20 December 2022, members of the GMB, Unite and Unison (ambulance staff) are striking on 21 December 2022 and members of GMB (ambulance staff) are striking on 28 December 2022.
The NHS wants to see a resolution as soon as possible, but pay is a matter for the government and the trade unions. Read more information about the strikes at NHS briefing: Industrial action winter 2022.
What if I need urgent or emergency care?
Anyone who needs urgent care should use NHS111 online or call NHS 111 to be assessed and directed to the right care for them. When someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, you should seek emergency care in the normal way, by calling 999 or attending A&E.
What do strikes mean for NHS services in my area?
Not every hospital and ambulance service will be affected by strike action. You can check which trusts are affected on each trade union’s website:
- Royal College of Nursing (15 and 20 December)
- UNISON (21 December)
- GMB (21 and 28 December)
- Unite (21 December)
What if I have an appointment on a strike day?
Everyone who has an appointment should attend as planned, unless your local NHS provider has contacted you to reschedule. If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment even if your Trust is affected by strikes.
Will emergency care be affected on strike days?
Emergency care will continue to be available across all parts of the country. It is really important that in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or their life is at risk patients continue to come forward as normal.
I have a loved one who will be a hospital inpatient on strike day – how will their care be affected?
All hospital inpatients will be informed of how their care will be impacted on a ward-by-ward basis by the staff involved in delivering their care.
Will GP services be affected on strike days?
GP services will be running as normal on strike days. Please continue to attend scheduled GP appointments.
When will I find out if my appointment is rescheduled?
The NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action. This is likely to be a text, phone call or a letter, and you should be offered an alternative date for your appointment. If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned.
If my appointment is rescheduled, will I be put back to the bottom of the waiting list?
Any appointments that need to be rescheduled will be done so as a priority.
Is there anything I should do now?
No, the NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action.
Should I cancel my appointment on the day of strikes?
No, if we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned.
What should I do if I need an ambulance?
On strike days, patients should only call 999 if seriously ill or injured, and there is risk to life. Ambulances will be dispatched where clinically appropriate.
For all other health care needs support will be available through NHS 111 online, via the NHS 111 helpline or at your local GP or pharmacy.
The NHS.UK website has more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E.
What is considered an emergency?
Patients should only call 999 if seriously ill or injured, and there is risk to life. Ambulances will be dispatched where clinically appropriate.
How long will services be impacted?
The nurses strikes on 15 and 20 December 2022 will last for 12 hours and the ambulance strikes on 21 and 28 December 2022 will last for 24 hours. However patients should be aware that it may take slightly longer for services to return to normal.