The NHS in Sussex has urged patients to use services wisely during strike action set to take place next week.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced junior doctors will strike from 7am on Thursday, June 27 until 7am on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.

The NHS in Sussex is working hard to ensure adequate staffing through the entirety of urgent care pathways, urgent elective cases, and other critical services.

However, the disruption to staffing will cause a ‘significant reduction’ in elective activity and this may mean some appointments and procedures may need to be rescheduled, an NHS Trust in Sussex has said.

A spokesperson for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust said: “We will only reschedule appointments and procedures where necessary and will re-book immediately, where possible.

“If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned. The NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action.

“The NHS is asking patients to choose services appropriately during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most. This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs, and only using 999 if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency. For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS UK website.

“GP practices will continue to be open during the junior doctors strike. Please continue to attend your GP and dental appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.

“Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and serious life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.”