East Cheshire NHS Trust prepares for significant disruption ahead of resident doctor strike

East Cheshire NHS Trust is advising the public to prepare for a period of major service disruption following the announcement of a six-day walkout by resident doctors.

The industrial action, called by the British Medical Association (BMA), will begin at 7am on Tuesday 7th April and conclude at 7am on Monday 13th April. 

The strike is expected to affect services across all Trust sites, including Macclesfield, Knutsford, and Congleton hospitals.  

While the Trust is working closely with regional partners to enact robust contingency plans, the walkout will result in significant pressure on local healthcare resources. 

Dr John Hunter, Chief Medical Officer for East Cheshire NHS Trust said: 

“We are working closely with partners to ensure appropriate plans are enacted to deal with this severe disruption. 

“During the resident doctor strikes, we are hoping to maintain as much planned activity as possible to minimise the disruption to patients.” 

Patients are advised to attend their appointments as originally scheduled unless they are contacted directly by the NHS. If a procedure or clinic needs to be postponed, the Trust will reach out to affected individuals to reschedule as soon as possible. 

During this period of industrial action, local residents are urged to only call 999 and come to the Emergency Department (ED) for life-threatening emergencies only. These include conditions such as cardiac arrest, loss of consciousness, persistent seizures, severe breathing difficulties, heavy bleeding, or serious head injuries. 

For all non-urgent health concerns, the public is encouraged to use NHS 111 online as a first port of call.  

Local GP practices and pharmacies also remain available to provide advice and treatment for minor illnesses and ongoing health management.