Services at Kingston Hospital will be impacted by strike action taking place from 7am on Friday 25 July until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.

Patients should continue to attend appointments as planned, unless they are told otherwise. It is important that people also continue to come forward for urgent care during the strike action, especially in an emergency and in life-threatening cases.

Dr Bill Oldfield, Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “Patient safety is our priority, and staff are working hard to minimise disruption to care and treatment, however we are expecting the coming days to be challenging. Waiting times in our Emergency Department at Kingston Hospital will be longer than usual during the days of strike action and we will be prioritising patients based on the urgency of their clinical need - if we feel you could be seen elsewhere, we may redirect you. We would like to apologise to our patients for the disruption we are expecting, and to thank them for their understanding.”

During strike action the NHS is still here for people who need it. If people need medical help or advice or are unsure about whether they should go to hospital, 111.nhs.uk should be the first port of call. Call NHS 111 for advice on where to go and what to do next - a trained adviser will provide advice and the best care pathway.

During the strike action, people may be seen more quickly at Teddington Urgent Treatment Centre, which is open from 8am until 8pm (7 days a week).

Local pharmacies may also be able to help and can provide advice on minor health concerns from skin rashes to earaches and flu. Many pharmacies stay open late, and no appointment is needed. You can also contact your GP surgery for appointments about illnesses or injuries that won’t go away.

You should always call 999 if it’s a life-threatening emergency - find out more on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E.

Visit the NHS England website for further information for the public on industrial action.