MK Hospital prepares for yet another junior doctors' strike

Milton Keynes University Hospital has used last month’s experience to inform robust contingency plans as junior doctors plan 24-hour industrial action on Wednesday.

Patients in need of urgent and emergency care will continue to receive the treatment they need, when they need it.

However, due to increased pressures on the hospital over this 24-hour period, those in less urgent need of care may experience longer waiting times than normal and some planned clinics and operations have been postponed.

In all cases priority will be given to those patients with the most pressing health needs.

Professor Martin Wetherill, Medical Director at Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We were assured and encouraged by our staff’s ability to provide excellent care during a period of industrial action in January and I have no doubt they will do so again on Wednesday.

“Our priority is always to ensure that our patients remain safe and are well cared for, and our extensive plans for the 24-hour period from Wednesday are designed to do this.

“We are contacting those patients that are affected by the reduction in our elective services and for those whose services have been postponed; we will be in touch to rearrange appointments as soon as we can.”

In the unlikely event that industrial action for Wednesday is called off, the hospital will go ahead with its contingency plans and those planned appointments that have been postponed will remain postponed.

Patients do not need to contact the hospital to rearrange their appointments - but will be contacted by the hospital as soon as possible to rearrange their appointments.