Wigan residents urged to 'play their part' as hospitals prepare for busy Easter weekend and junior doctors' strike

Staff at hospitals run by Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) are preparing for a busy four-day weekend over Easter.

It will be followed by junior doctors in the British Medical Association taking industrial action for four days from 6.59am on Tuesday, in an ongoing dispute with the Government over pay.

Medical director Prof Sanjay Arya is urging people in the borough to be prepared for this busy period and ensure they access healthcare in the right place.

He said: “It’s really important for me to emphasise that our healthcare services are here and will continue to be available over the Easter bank holiday weekend and during the four days of industrial action that follow, but there will be some temporary changes to how some of our services are delivered and it’s important that everyone is prepared.

“Leading up to this extended period, our strong focus will be on protecting our urgent and emergency care services for patients who have life, limb or sight-threatening conditions and providing safe hospital services for patients in our care.

“Everyone can help play their part in helping us by accessing services in the most appropriate way. If a condition is not life, limb or sight-threatening, please use NHS 111 online in the first instance or alternative services such as your GP, pharmacy or local urgent treatment centre.

“Self-care at home is just as important and we would always advise being well-stocked on over-the-counter medications, especially ahead of bank holidays.”

People are also being asked to help patients return home from hospital, when they are medically fit, to free up hospital beds.

Prof Arya said: “We are also committed to providing safe and timely discharges for patients already in our care, which is why it is really important for friends and relatives to support their loved ones through this process once they are ready to be discharged. This will help our teams to free up hospital beds for patients waiting to be admitted.

“The support we have received from the public during challenging times like that has been invaluable and we are immensely grateful to everyone for continuing to use the NHS appropriately during these times. We will need that to be the same over the next two weeks, as the combination of the bank holiday and industrial action will create significant pressure in the healthcare system.”

During the industrial action, WWL will focus on providing essential services such as A&E, maternity, emergency theatres, intensive care, chemotherapy and dialysis.

But a number of services will be affected and outpatient and surgical appointments will be rescheduled.

Patients with a planned appointment during this time should attend as normal, unless told otherwise by WWL.

Hospitals in Wigan and across the country have already faced disruption several times this year, due to previous industrial action by junior doctors, nurses and ambulance workers.