Junior doctors begin 72-hour walkout in pay row with Government
Junior doctors across the region have gone on strike as their dispute with the Government over pay continues.
The 72-hour walkout by medics, which began at 7am on Wednesday, will run until 7am on Saturday.
The strike, which is taking place across England, is expected to lead to thousands of NHS appointments and operations being cancelled.
It comes as NHS chiefs warned that the number of people seeking emergency help will rise as the hot weather continues across the UK.
Junior doctors are expected to take part in a rally at Birmingham's Centenary Square this afternoon.
NHS leaders in the region have said that urgent and emergency care will remain the priority and have urged people to still call 999 for life-saving emergencies.
Otherwise, people have been urged to use 111 online as the first port of call.
Dr Ananta Dave, chief medical officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases.
“If you need medical help or advice, you should contact NHS 111 in the first instance, and they will direct you to the most appropriate service for advice or treatment. This could include your local pharmacy, GP or a local NHS walk-in centre.
“By ensuring you choose the most appropriate service, this will help NHS services to manage demand and ensure A&E departments can focus on treating people with serious and life-threatening conditions."
The BMA junior doctors committee has called for a 35 per cent hike in wages, a demand branded “unreasonable” by Health Secretary Steve Barclay, who said there must be “movement on both sides” of the dispute.
