NHS critical incident declared at Nottingham hospitals amid junior doctor strikes

Nottinghamshire’s NHS trust has declared a critical incident due to “significant demand for all services”. 

Junior doctors started a six-day walkout at 7am on Wednesday (January 3) over pay and working conditions. 

Nottinghamshire NHS Trust said that A&E wait times are “very long” as a result of staff shortages. 

Read more: Your Nottingham

Full statement

Dr Dave Briggs, Medical Director at NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, said: “Please only attend the Emergency Department if it is vital, this means a life-threatening illness or injury that cannot be treated elsewhere, this allows us to treat those who need us the most. 

“There are things everyone can do to help, and we are asking people to use our services wisely and to think about self-care as an option for some conditions, such as coughs and colds, before automatically going to the NHS for help.

“If self-care isn’t an option, then choosing the right service will help patients to get the right treatment first time and usually more quickly – 111 online is a great resource to help with that.

“One way the public can help us is by supporting our NHS teams to get your relatives home from hospital if they are medically fit to leave. 

“We are grateful to everyone who has taken steps to help, and we would like to thank our incredible teams across the health and social care sector for their efforts in keeping the public safe.”

What's the A&E wait time?

As of 9am this morning (Thursday, January 4), the A&E wait time at Nottingham University Hospitals is more than four hours. 

The NHS Trust has said: "Strike Action is taking place from 7am on Wednesday 3 January to 7am on Tuesday 9 January 2024. Our Emergency Department is experiencing longer than usual wait times.

"Please choose NHS services wisely and attend any appointments as planned, unless you are contacted to rearrange. Please use 111 online, pharmacies or urgent treatment centres where possible."