Wakefield, Pontefract and Dewsbury hospital Trust advises patients to ‘make the right choice’ during strike action

The Trust which runs Dewsbury District Hospital, Pontefract Hospital and Pinderfields Hospital wants patients to use the service that is right for them to ensure they get timely treatment for their condition by the appropriate medical professional.

Dr Richard Robinson, Chief Medical Officer at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: “During this period of strike action nearly half of our usually available doctors are not available to work.

"The healthcare professionals remaining in our emergency departments need to be available to treat those who really need to be there and will treat those patients with the most severe illness and injury first, which is likely to result in long waits to be seen for those with less severe conditions.

“Our teams across the trust and in our Emergency Departments (A&E) remain absolutely committed to providing a service for those patients who require urgent medical care due to serious illness or injury or because their life is at risk.

“We are urging the public to please remember that there are alternatives to A&E available. Patients who come to our A&E departments with a minor illness or injury, or a long-term condition are unlikely to benefit from the skillset provided by our emergency doctors and nurses and would receive more timely appropriate treatment via their GP or NHS 111.

"For most problems NHS111 should be the first port of call to seek advice. Where we feel it is right and safe to do so we will advise this to patients who come to our A&E departments.”

In addition to NHS 111 patients in Wakefield can get face-to-face GP appointments for urgent problems and book routine appointments in advance and when their own GP practice is closed through the GP Care Wakefield service.

The service is available between 5pm and 9.30pm on weekdays; 9am and 5pm on Saturdays; and 9am and 3pm on Sundays and bank holidays. All you need to do is contact your own practice telephone number, at any time of day and you will get through to the right service.

King Street Walk in Centre, Wakefield, is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, between 10am and 10pm.

You can also call into your local pharmacy for expert advice on many common illnesses such as headaches, sore throats and aches and pains, and there is no need to book an appointment.