All you need to know about this week's nurses' strike in Sussex

The Royal College of Nursing is organising the industrial action across the country and for the first time, nurses in Sussex will be involved, with NHS trusts in Sussex taking part – East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

NHS Sussex said regardless of any strike action taking place, patients who need urgent medical care will be prioritised, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases.

Emergency care will be open, with walk-in emergency and urgent services open to patients including Emergency Departments, A&E, Urgent Treatment Centres and Minor Injuries Units.

NHS Sussex said some planned appointments will be affected as trusts ensure that available staff are focused on those who need care and support most. NHS teams are contacting patients directly if their appointment does need to be rescheduled and everyone will be offered an alternative date. If people have not been contacted, they are being encouraged to attend appointments as planned.

An NHS Sussex spokesperson said: “Services in our community which are helping us to manage the current high demand on health and care will also continue over the two days, such as urgent community response teams and our virtual ward teams. GP services, pharmacies and dental practices will be running as normal on strike days but are anticipated to be busy.

“Our health and care system remains under significant pressure; however, the system is currently in a stable position following the significant work across partners and the additional measures that are in place. We will continue to work across health and care and have put in place plans to ensure patients and the public can get the help and support they need during this week’s industrial action.

“Some of the measures include additional GP access to provide additional care and treatment, including in the evenings this week, focused efforts to ensure community response services can continue to people who can be seen at home where appropriate, instead of going into hospital, continued focus on discharge from hospital to ensure all hospital beds are being used in the best possible way, and focus on planned care capacity to ensure that any appointments that need to be postponed can be rearranged as quickly as possible.

“It is important the public play their part and ‘Help Us Help You’ to ensure everyone gets the care and support they need. Local people are asked to take the following actions: Think very carefully about choosing the most appropriate NHS service for your needs and only use 999 and A&E departments for serious or life-threatening emergencies, such as chest pain, severe bleeding or breathing difficulties.

“If you do need support and care, it may take longer than you might expect to be seen and treated, so please be patient and continue to use the most appropriate service for your needs.

“Please collect family and friends from hospital as soon as they are ready to be discharged, and support the discharge process to available community beds, to allow acute hospital beds to be freed up for those who need them most.

“Stay away from our hospitals if you have symptoms of flu or Covid or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, unless it is an emergency.

“Keep yourself protected and boost your immunity with COVID-19 and flu vaccinations if you are eligible.”

NHS Sussex Chief Medical Officer, Dr Dinesh Sinha, said: “Patient safety is our absolute priority and we have been working across health and care to ensure that any disruption to patient care is kept to a minimum.

“Regardless of strike action, people should continue to come forward if they need NHS help and support. Services are available to help you and make sure you get the best care.

“Some patients will be contacted directly to have appointments rescheduled, but everyone will get a new date as soon as possible. If you do have an appointment and the NHS has not been in touch, please continue to attend as originally planned, so as not to delay your care.

“We ask for the public’s support and patience during these two days of industrial action so that those who most need help and treatment can get the care they need.”