JUNIOR doctors at Salisbury Hospital are striking for four days next week.

During that time, the hospital will be operating a Bank Holiday level service, and has warned that staff will be "stretched". 

It said: "The focus of the hospital during the three days of strike action is to maintain safe and compassionate patient care."

The British Medical Association says junior doctors are taking strike action in 2023 to:

  • "Achieve full pay restoration to reverse the steep decline in pay faced by junior doctors since 2008/9"
  • "To agree on a mechanism with the Government to prevent any future declines against the cost of living and inflation"
  • "To reform the DDRB (Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body) process so pay increases can be recommended independently and fairly to safeguard the recruitment and retention of junior doctors." 

Salisbury's Accident and Emergency Department will be fully functional and there will be safe staffing levels for all inpatients, but many of the outpatient clinics and planned surgery may be unable to go ahead as planned.

Patients impacted will be contacted directly by the hospital. If you are not contacted directly the hospital asks you to attend as planned.

It added on its website: "The hospital is working to ensure our wards are safely staffed and that critical services are maintained.

"We will have safe staffing levels for all inpatients. If you need to visit A&E please do so, and our Maternity Team will continue to safely deliver babies as they do 24 hours a day. We ask that anyone with a minor injury or illness to please seek advice from their GP, Salisbury Walk-In Centre or a local pharmacist, or visit 111.nhs.uk.

"If you do need to attend the hospital during the three days of industrial action to please be aware that staff will be stretched, so please be prepared to wait a little longer or have appointments delayed."