A&E department closes due to junior doctors' strikes

The accident and emergency department at a hospital in the west of England is closed due to strike action by junior doctors.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust has announced that Cheltenham A&E has temporarily closed from now until 8am on Saturday 23 December and will do so again from 8pm on Monday 1 January until 8am on Tuesday 9 January.

During that time, no minor injury and illness unit (MIIU) services will be provided either.

It will also restrict the treatment it provides over the Christmas and New Year periods.

Cheltenham General Hospital's A&E unit will switch to an MIIU service only from 8am to 8pm on Saturday 23 December to (and including) Monday 1 January 2024. It will be closed overnight.

Normally, Cheltenham A&E has a consultant-led Emergency Department from 8am-8pm and a nurse-led Minor Injuries and Illness Unit (MIIU) from 8pm-8am.

Emergency care services (A&E) will be centralised at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital 24/7 throughout this period, the trust said.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust said it was part of an "Industrial action update: December and January", due to strikes planned by junior doctors.

"The latest round of strikes will pose substantial challenges to hospital services at the busiest time of the year and the impact will be felt well into the New Year," it said in a statement.

Junior doctors who are members of the British Medical Association union are scheduled to strike from Wednesday 20 December for three days until 23 December and again on Wednesday 3 January for six days until 9 January.

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