Industrial action: September strikes by BMA members and advance notice of October strikes

Posted 15th September 2023

The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced industrial action by junior doctors and consultants during September and October 2023 as part of a national pay dispute with the Government. The Society of Radiographers has also announced industrial action in October. The action will affect NHS services across England. This page explains what this means for people under the care of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.

Industrial action dates

British Medical Association (BMA)

  • Consultants belonging to the BMA are due to strike from 7:00am on 19th September 2023 until 7:00am on 21st September 2023.
  • Junior doctors belonging to the BMA are due to strike from 7:00am on 20th September 2023 until 7:00am on 23rd September 2023.
  • Consultants and junior doctors belonging to the BMA are due to strike from 7:00am on 2nd October 2023 until 7:00am on 5th October 2023.

Society of Radiographers

  • Therapy and diagnostic radiographers belonging to the SoR are due to strike from 8:00am on Tuesday 3rd October 2023 until 08:00am on Wednesday 4th October 2023.

What this means for our patients

We have extensive plans in place to make sure we can continue providing safe, high-quality care during the strikes. We expect to deliver services including chemotherapy and other systemic anti-cancer therapies, radiotherapy, diagnostics, inpatient care, many outpatient consultations and urgent cancer care. (We do not provide surgery.)

If you have an appointment on a strike day: You should attend your appointment as planned unless we contact you directly to say otherwise.

Inpatient care: There will be appropriate senior medical cover on our wards throughout so inpatients will continue to receive expert medical care during industrial action.

If you need urgent advice / care

Our Hotline team is available 24/7 – including strike days – on 0800 169 5555 for anyone who is currently being treated at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre or who completed treatment in the last six weeks and who needs urgent care or advice (e.g. due to treatment side-effects).

Emergency departments in our region are expected to be very busy. For general health advice and queries – including an online symptom checker – visit 111 online (111.nhs.uk) or call them on 111 if you don't have internet access:

  • Make NHS 111 online your first port of call for all non-emergency health needs.
  • NHS 111 online offers you fast access to advice on the best options for getting care. They can also organise call backs from a trained clinician or nurse, or book you a face to face appointment in A&E or with a GP if needed.
  • It’s really important that people know where to go for advice and treatment this week, as local services are very busy: contact NHS 111 in the first instance, or try a walk-in centre, GP, or pharmacy.

Call 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.