Yorkshire Ambulance Service – Industrial Action

National ambulance and NHS trade unions have announced two days of strike action – on Wednesday 21 December and Wednesday 28 December.

NHS services across the North East and Yorkshire region are experiencing extremely high demand at the moment. This includes GP practices and the 111 service which are both extremely busy.

GP Practices in Wakefield have been asked to cancel routine non-urgent activity and focus on urgent, same day care. You will be contacted by the GP Practice if your appointment is going to be cancelled.

If you need advice for a minor/mild illness or injury, in the first instance, please either contact your local pharmacy for help or look at the self-care advice that’s available on-line from the NHS at www.nhs.uk 

If you want to check your symptoms, there is an on-line symptom checker available at 111.nhs.uk, which will re-direct you to a health professional if you need to be seen by someone.

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

It is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk. Ambulances will still be able to respond in these situations, but this may only be where there is an immediate risk to life.  The NHS UK website has more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E.

For information about a range of local services, including mental health support, please visit the Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership website.