RESIDENTS in Hampshire are being urged to avoid visiting accident and emergency (A&E) departments for five days unless they have a life-threatening condition.

This is because junior doctors are planning to go on strike again.

Junior doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HSCA) are due to take part in industrial action for the 10th time since the dispute over pay with the Government began.

They will go on strike from 7am on Saturday, February 24, until 11.59pm on Wednesday, February 28.

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NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight is anticipating that its hospitals and emergency departments are going to be very busy and are therefore asking people to support by choosing the right service for your needs.

If you have an urgent medical problem and you are not sure what to do, visit 111 online at 111.nhs.uk.

Urgent Treatment Centres and pharmacies are equipped to deal with minor injuries, such as cuts or sprains.

Please only go to a hospital’s emergency department for life-threatening accidents and emergencies.

If you have a minor injury such as a sprain, a minor head injury, cuts and grazes or minor scalds and burns, you can be treated at one of our Urgent Treatment Centres and Minor Injuries Units.

These centres can be found in Andover, Gosport, St Marys, Isle of Wight, Lymington, Petersfield, St Mary’s Portsmouth and Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton.

Further details of pharmacies and urgent treatment centres can be found here: hantsiowhealthandcare.org.uk/your-services

Patients with appointments booked on strike days will be contacted by the NHS if their appointment needs to be rescheduled due to industrial action.

If you have not been contacted, you should attend your appointment as planned.

You can also download the Healthier Together app (what0-18.nhs.uk/) for advice if you have children or carer responsibilities.

The app can help you decide whether you can self-care at home or if you need help, which service is best for the needs of children aged up to 18. It also provides advice and guidance for pregnant women.

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

Dr Lara Alloway, chief medical officer for NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight said: “We are so grateful to our public who have supported their local NHS so well during the previous strike action by choosing carefully which NHS service to access and we ask that they do that again this coming weekend.

“You can help by taking simple steps during industrial action to look after yourselves, your loved ones and to check in on vulnerable family members and neighbours."

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Junior doctors have gone on strike for 34 days since last March, in 10 separate stoppages lasting between three and six days each.

This is also the last period of strike action by the junior doctors before they vote on whether to hold further strikes. The current legal mandate for strike action expires on 29 February.

If junior doctors vote in favour of extending their mandate period, they will be able to take further strike action from April 3, 2024, to September 19, 2024.