Amidst the six day resident (formerly junior) doctors strike, NHS Greater Manchester is urging people to help ease the pressure on busy hospitals this weekend by only attending A&E for emergencies and to know where to go for health advice.

So far during the strike action, (running from 7am Tuesday 7th to 7am Monday 13th April), the health and care teams at the hospitals have managed to keep as many services running as possible. However with the weekend ahead, services will be even busier than usual.

That’s why NHS Greater Manchester is asking people to only call 999 or go to A&E for life-threatening conditions such as chest pain, severe bleeding, difficulty breathing, or symptoms of stroke. This will help ease pressures on hospitals and allow patients who need it the most to get the help they need.

The public should still get non-emergency help from the following resources…

• Appointments: please attend hospital and GP practices as planned unless contacted to reschedule. Some planned procedures may be postponed to prioritise urgent care. 

• Dental care: for pain in your mouth, teeth, or gums, call the Greater Manchester Dental Helpline for free on 0333 332 3800. The service is available 8am - 10pm daily, including weekends and bank holidays, for urgent help when your dental practice is closed or if you do not have a regular dentist. Charges may apply.

• NHS 111: for urgent but non-emergency health needs, you can contact NHS 111 online, by phone, or through the NHS App. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Accessibility options include SignVideo and Text Relay (18001 111) for people who need them. NHS 111 can help you find the right care for your symptoms.

• Pharmacies: a good first port of call for many health issues. Under Pharmacy First, pharmacists can treat conditions such as earache (age 1 - 17), sore throats (age 5+), and urinary tract infections (age 16 - 64) without a GP appointment.

• Urgent eye care: Greater Manchester’s Urgent Eye Care Service can help if you experience sudden changes in vision, red or painful eyes, or new flashes or floaters. The service is available throughout the week, including evenings and weekends. Call your local optician first, and if they do not provide the service, you can find one that does.

Dr Neil Bayman, Executive Medical Director for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, on behalf of all acute medical directors for NHS Greater Manchester said:

“The NHS workforce has done a fantastic job so far keeping things running smoothly during the resident doctors strikes, and we want to thank the public for their support during this time. But we know that weekends are always busy for our hospitals and will be even busier because of industrial action.

“That’s why we are asking people to do their part to help ease pressures on our hospitals and to ensure the people who need our help the most are able to get it.

“Please continue to attend appointments unless contacted to reschedule but only call 999 or attending A&E when it is an emergency. If you do have any non-emergency health concerns go to NHS 111, your local pharmacy or dental and urgent eye services where possible.”

Dr Michael Gregory, Regional Medical Director for NHS England in the North West, added: "I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone working in the NHS right now for their hard work, commitment and dedication to delivering safe care during this pressured period.

"We are now at the midpoint of this period of action and I`m proud of how our staff and our communities have responded. We will continue to work around the clock to keep services running safely through to the end of this period and beyond.

“Thank you to the public for their patience and support, it means a great deal to everyone working in the NHS right now."