Strikes Update: How Monday 13 March junior doctors’ strike will affect you

Getty Images and BBC

NHS leaders are bracing themselves for a 72-hour strike by junior doctors which begins at 07:00 on Monday.

It’s not hard to understand why they’re so concerned: junior doctors make up 45% of the medical workforce, two thirds of them are members of the BMA union which is organising the strike, and they’re planning on walking out of emergency as well as planned care.

Their action is likely to affect every region in England.

Consultants and other senior doctors are being drafted in to provide cover. Lots of planned appointments are set be postponed – it’s not yet clear how many.

Junior doctors say they have no choice but to take this action which, they say, is as much about feeling undervalued and overworked as it is about pay.

You can read more or watch this report about why people are taking strike action, and below you can find information on how it could affect you.

Upcoming strike action

SUN 19 FEB

Border Force

  • Border Force staff at the Port of Calais, Port of Dunkirk, Coquelles Channel Tunnel Terminal and the Port of Dover are taking industrial action
  • The strike only affects international inbound travel to the UK
MON 20 FEB

Ambulance staff

  • Ambulance staff in the Unite union in Wales and several regions of England, and the GMB union in parts of England, are on strike
  • The strike affects non-life threatening calls only and people are advised to use the 999 service in an emergency

Read more: Why are ambulance staff striking?


Border Force

  • Border Force staff at the Port of Calais, Port of Dunkirk, Coquelles Channel Tunnel Terminal and the Port of Dover are taking industrial action
  • The strike only affects international inbound travel to the UK only
  • The industrial action is due to end at around 07:00 GMT
TUE 21 FEB

Ambulance staff

  • Ambulance staff in the Unite union in Wales are on strike
  • The strike affects non-life threatening calls only and people are advised to use the 999 service in an emergency

Read more: Why are ambulance staff striking?


Teachers in Northern Ireland

  • The majority of teachers in Northern Ireland are holding a half-day strike
  • Many schools across the country are not expected to open until after midday

Read more: NI teachers to walk out for half a day

WED 22 FEB

Ambulance staff

  • Ambulance staff in the Unite union in Wales and the North West region of England are on strike
  • The strike affects non-life threatening calls only and people are advised to use the 999 service in an emergency

Read more: Why are ambulance staff striking?

THU 23 FEB

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

FRI 24 FEB

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

SAT 25 FEB

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

SUN 26 FEB

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

MON 27 FEB

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

TUE 28 FEB

Teachers in Scotland

  • Teachers who are members of the EIS, NASUWT and SSTA unions are on strike
  • The industrial action is expected to affect thousands of schools across Scotland

Read more: Teachers’ strike dates

WED 1 MAR

Teachers in Scotland

  • Teachers who are members of the EIS, NASUWT and SSTA unions are on strike
  • The industrial action is expected to affect thousands of schools across Scotland

Read more: Teachers’ strike dates

THU 2 MAR

Teachers in Wales

  • Teachers in Wales who are members of the National Education Union are taking industrial action over pay
  • It is expected that hundreds of schools will be affected

Read more: Teachers reject pay offer

FRI 3 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

SAT 4 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

SUN 5 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

MON 6 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

TUE 7 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

WED 8 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

THU 9 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

FRI 10 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

SAT 11 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

SUN 12 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

MON 13 MAR

Junior doctors

  • Junior doctors who are members of the BMA union are on strike
  • Junior doctors account for more than 40% of the medical workforce so widespread disruption is anticipated
  • The industrial action will begin at 07:00GMT

Read more: Junior doctors to strike

TUE 14 MAR

Junior doctors

  • Junior doctors who are members of the BMA union are on strike
  • Junior doctors account for more than 40% of the medical workforce so widespread disruption is anticipated

Read more: Junior doctors to strike

WED 15 MAR

Junior doctors

  • Junior doctors who are members of the BMA union are on strike
  • Junior doctors account for more than 40% of the medical workforce so widespread disruption is anticipated
  • The industrial action will end at 07:00GMT

Read more: Junior doctors to strike


Civil servants

  • About 133,000 civil servants, working across more than 100 government departments and agencies, are on strike
  • Members of the PCS union are taking industrial action in a dispute over pay, pensions, job security and redundancy terms

Read more: Civil servants to strike on budget day


Teachers

  • Teachers who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) at all schools in England and Wales are on strike
  • NEU teachers in sixth-form colleges in England are also due to walk out

Read more: Teachers’ strike dates


London Underground

  • London Underground staff who are members of the Aslef and RMT unions are on strike
  • Previous strikes have seen widespread disruption
  • Travellers are advised to check on services before they start their journeys

Read more: London Underground walk out

THU 16 MAR

Teachers

  • Teachers who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) at all schools in England and Wales are on strike
  • NEU teachers in sixth-form colleges in England are also due to walk out

Read more: Teachers’ strike dates


Rail

  • Members of the RMT union from 14 train operators are on strike in England
  • Some services which run into Scotland and Wales are likely to be affected

Read more: When are the train strikes?


University staff

  • University staff who are members of the University and College Union are on strike
  • UCU members at 83 universities are taking part

Read more: Will my lecture be cancelled?

FRI 17 MAR

University staff

  • University staff who are members of the University and College Union are on strike
  • UCU members at 83 universities are taking part

Read more: Will my lecture be cancelled?

SAT 18 MAR

Rail

  • Members of the RMT union from 14 train operators are on strike in England
  • Some services which run into Scotland and Wales are likely to be affected

Read more: When are the train strikes?

SUN 19 MAR

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

More than 36,000 junior doctors are set to strike on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in England.

Consultants will be brought in to provide some cover, but the NHS is warning of “major disruption and thousands of patients may face postponements to their treatment” due to the strike.

The NHS advice is to dial 999 in an emergency and turn up to hospital appointments unless you are told otherwise.

Other things to note are:

  • Emergency care will continue to be available.
  • People needing critical care, newborn baby care, and trauma care will be prioritised.
  • Anyone needing urgent care should dial 111.
  • GP services will not be directly affected by the strike, so people should keep GP appointments.
  • Some hospital dentists will also be on strike.

What do doctors want?

Junior doctors in England want a pay rise of 35%.

The British Medical Association (BMA) calls it pay restoration after cuts of 26% once inflation is taken into account since 2008.

The 35% rise is needed to make up for the 26% cut, it says.

What impact will the strikes have?

Junior doctors represent around 45% of the medical workforce in England.

They include those just out of university through to doctors with 10 years of experience so the strike action will have a major impact.

About two thirds of the junior doctor workforce are BMA members.

They are walking out of both emergency and planned care as well as general practice where some junior doctors will be working as GP trainees.

It means NHS bosses are drafting in consultants and other senior doctors to cover them in emergency care, such as A&E and intensive care.

This will lead to the postponing of lots of planned treatment, such as knee and hip replacements.

Are the two sides talking?

Junior doctor leaders at the BMA have had meetings with ministers and government officials in recent weeks.

But the government says it will not hold formal pay negotiations unless strikes are paused, and the BMA has declined.

Ministers have made it clear they are not willing to meet the pay demands of junior doctors, but do want to “find a fair settlement”.

Instead, the government is concentrating on reaching a deal with the 14 health unions representing NHS staff other than doctors after they suspended their strike action.

Talks were held last week with unions representing everyone from nurses and midwives to ambulance staff and physios.

They have involved discussions about effectively offering staff a bonus for this year on top of a 4.75% pay rise and a more generous increase from April for the 2023-24 year – the government has suggested 3.5%, but unions have made it clear they want more.

Additional reporting by Nick Triggle and Tom Espiner

How are you affected by the strikes? Are you taking part in strike action? You can email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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