The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is facing another wave of disruption as thousands of hospital appointments and procedures are set to be cancelled due to a planned doctors' strike. For the 16th time, members of the British Medical Association (BMA) will walk out from Monday 15 June until Friday 19 June, citing pay concerns as the reason for their industrial action.
The NHS Humber Health Partnership, which oversees hospitals in Hull, East Yorkshire, and northern Lincolnshire, has acknowledged that some cancellations are unavoidable due to the strike. While they aim to maintain a significant level of activity, their priority will be on providing urgent and emergency care, as well as supporting cancer patients.
Patients with appointments scheduled during this period should attend unless contacted by their hospital or told otherwise. If you need a repeat prescription, NHS guidance advises ordering online or visiting a pharmacy, GP surgery, walk-in centre, or urgent treatment centre if necessary to avoid any further delays.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust has also confirmed that its resident doctors will be participating in the strike action. In a reassuring statement, the trust assures patients that they will contact them if their appointments need to be changed as a result of the industrial action.