BMA Resident Doctors’ Industrial action - Friday 25 July (7am) to Wednesday 30 July (7am)

In response to planned industrial action by the British Medical Association (BMA), we are making plans to minimise disruption as much as possible and to preserve patient care

Temporary changes to Cheltenham A&E

• From 8pm on Thursday 24 July, the department will become a Minor Injuries and Illness Unit (MIIU).
• Daytime (8am–8pm): The department will operate as an MIIU from Friday 25 July to Tuesday 29 July.
• Overnight (8pm–8am): The department will be closed overnight from Friday 25 July until 8am on Wednesday 30 July, when normal A&E services will resume.
• This enables available emergency care staff to come together at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital to ensure patient safety.
• Patients are advised not to attend our Emergency Departments unless conditions/symptoms are serious or life threatening.

Planned operations, outpatient clinics and procedures

• Patients who have a planned operation, outpatient clinic or procedure between Friday 25 July until (and including) Wednesday 30 July (during the strike) should attend as usual unless they hear from us directly to advise otherwise
• Patient visiting will continue
• If people have an urgent care need, but are not sure which service to use, they are asked to visit 111.nhs.uk in the first instance or call 111 for advice. The 111 phone service can book people into local NHS services if required, but is likely to see an increase in calls.

Community Minor Injury and Illness Units (apart from Vale MIIU, Dursley - see healthcare advice below) and GP practices across the county will continue to provide services. The public can get advice on their healthcare options at 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111.

Whilst the NHS locally is making plans to keep essential services available, the strike will cause disruption and pose substantial challenges. The highest priority will be to care for those in most immediate and urgent need and safeguard patient care.

Chief Medical Officer at NHS Gloucestershire, Dr Ananthakrishnan Raghuram (Raghu) said:

“The five-day strike is likely to pose significant challenges to the local NHS, particularly hospital services, and we are sorry that patients might experience disruption to services.

One Gloucestershire health and care partners are working closely together to ensure those in greatest need continue to have access to high quality care and support. We are extremely grateful to the staff who will be working during this period to keep essential services running for patients.

It’s also vital that we all work together to keep the Emergency Department in Gloucester clear for life threatening conditions and serious injuries.

The public can help by thinking carefully about their healthcare options and getting advice when needed from NHS 111. Advice will also be available through local NHS social media channels.”

Getting healthcare advice

• Many parts of the NHS - hospitals, community services and GP practices - are likely to feel the impact of the industrial action - either directly or indirectly - so local people are being urged to use services responsibly.
• If people have an urgent care need, but are not sure which service to use, they are asked to visit 111.nhs.uk in the first instance or call 111 for advice. The 111 phone service can book people into local NHS services if required, but is likely to see an increase in calls.
• 111 online and the local ASAP Glos NHS website and app can provide information on the services provided by community pharmacies, GP surgeries, including the Gloucester Health Access Centre, Community Minor Injury and Illness Units (MIIUs) and the Emergency Department.
• A number of Community Hospital Minor Injury and Illness Units across the county will be open on the days - 8am to 8pm (last walk-in patient seen at 7.30pm). People are likely to be seen more quickly on arrival if they book an appointment by using 111. However, please note the MIIU at Vale Community Hospital, Dursley will be temporarily closed from 8am Thursday 24 July 2025 to 8am on Tuesday 29 July 2025.
• Cheltenham MIIU will be open from 8am to 8pm during the period of industrial action.

People can get the latest on the day service updates and advice on the industrial action through local NHS social media channels and websites.

Further public information about the industrial action, including FAQs, has been published by NHS England and can be found here.