Southern Health Trust issues strike day advice to public and warns impact of action will affect services into next week

Healthcare workers from across the Trust area are among tens of thousands of public sector workers taking part in the massive show of strength across Northern Ireland.

Included are members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN); the Royal College of Midwives (RCM); the Society of Radiographers; the British Orthoptic Society (BOS); the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) and British Dietetics Association (BDA).

In a statement posted on the Trust’s Facebook page, a spokesperson said: “We fully support our colleagues’ right to take industrial action and believe they should be properly rewarded for the work they do.”

The Trust warned that while staff are “working hard to prepare and maintain safe services where we can”, it is likely that the day of industrial action will have an impact on services into next week.

"We expect major disruption on Thursday, and from Friday, over the weekend and into the start of next week, as we seek to recover from the impact of strike action.”

The Trust has asked for support from the public to ensure they are able to care for those most in need and has issued the following advice:

• Domiciliary care: due to availability of services in some areas, the Trust is asking family and neighbours to please support and check in with vulnerable people in the community.
• Outpatients: Members of the public are asked to attend appointments as planned unless notified otherwise by staff.
• Unscheduled care: The public should only go to ome to Emergency Departments if they have serious symptoms that need hospital care and should phone 999 if the patient is acutely unwell.
• Phone First: before travelling to Emergency Departments or Minor Injuries service with less urgent symptoms, use the Phone First system by calling 0300 123 3 111. The Phone First service will open on Thursday,January 18 from 12 noon.
• South Tyrone Minor Injuries Service: This will be closed on Thursday, January 18.
• Consider if your condition could be treated by your pharmacist or GP. If symptoms cannot wait until your GP reopens, call Out of Hours Tel: 028 3839 9201.

The Trust statement added: “We apologise to our public for the disruption to services, and thank you for your understanding and support.”