Publish date: 20 January 2023
Ambulance staff in the North West Ambulance Service region have voted to strike on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 January.
On days when the ambulance service are taking industrial action, patients should only call 999 if it is a medical or mental health emergency (when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk).
Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is important that patients who need emergency medical care continue to come forward, especially in life-threatening cases (when someone is seriously ill or injured). Ambulances will still be able to respond in these situations, but this may only be where there is an immediate risk to life and response times are likely to be delayed.
Where the situation is not life-threatening, and where possible, it is advised that you arrange alternative transport to attend the Emergency Department. You should only attend the Emergency Department when it is a genuine emergency. Please seek advice from pharmacists and your GP in the first instance.
General practice services are not directly impacted by this strike action. Please continue to attend your GP appointments unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
If you have an appointment at Tameside Hospital and we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned. We will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action. We are attempting to maintain other services as far as possible but depending on the impact of the industrial action on our services, it may be necessary to make some late cancellations. We apologise in advance if this is the case and we will not make the decisions to do this lightly. We appreciate your support and co-operation in dealing with this difficult situation.
For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS UK website.
NHS 111 online can also tell you:
- Where to get help for your symptoms, if you’re not sure what to do
- How to find general health information and advice
- Where to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine
- How to get a repeat prescription
In a mental health crisis, call the mental health crisis line in your area (Greater Manchester: Bury, Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport and Tameside & Glossop – 0800 014 9995).
Read the Get To Know Where To Go leaflet which outlines all of the full range of health services available.
Maternity services
Our maternity services will be running as usual.
Please plan how you would come to hospital on that day if you needed to.
If you have any worries, or think you’re in labour, please contact us for advice as early as possible 0161 922 6172 or 6173.
If you are planning a homebirth around this time, your midwife will speak to you about what this means for your care.