Junior doctors at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Ipswich Hospitals are taking part in strike action in the run-up to Christmas

Junior doctors across Suffolk have started their latest strike, with patients being warned to use hospital services wisely in the run-up to Christmas.

The strike action, by members of the British Medical Association (BMA), started at 7am today (Wednesday, December 20) and will run for three days until 7am on Saturday, December 23.

Junior doctors have been striking throughout 2023, as part of a national dispute over pay and working conditions.

West Suffolk Hospital and Newmarket Community Hospital

The trust, which runs West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, said: “Our accident and emergency department will be open throughout the strike periods and emergency care will continue to be available across all parts of the country. However, we anticipate we will be very busy.

“It is really important that in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or their life is at risk - patients continue to come forward as normal.”

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, which also runs Newmarket Community Hospital added: “We may have to postpone your scheduled appointment or procedure.

“Should it need to be postponed, we will contact you directly. If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as normal.”

Ipswich Hospital

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which runs Ipswich Hospital, said it is also committed to keeping disruption to a minimum.

In an update on its website ESNEFT said: “Our focus is on providing safe care for patients who need urgent and emergency services, and those receiving inpatient care in our hospitals.

“While not all our junior doctors will go on strike, patients may notice fewer of them on our wards and clinical areas. Our nursing team, senior doctors and therapists will continue to care for everyone.

“We will be reducing the number of appointments we have planned on the strike days to make sure we have safe levels of staff across all services.

“You’ll be contacted if your appointment needs to be changed, so please turn up as usual if you are not contacted.”

Further strikes in 2024

The British Medical Association has confirmed a further junior doctors strike will take place in early 2024, between Wednesday, January 3, and Tuesday, January 9.