London Ambulance Service staff are taking industrial action on Wednesday 21 December from 12noon to midnight. This will cause further pressure on our already busy hospitals, particularly our emergency departments (EDs) and there will be fewer ambulances on the road to respond to 999 calls.  

Anyone coming to our departments who does not need emergency care will face extremely long waits and it’s likely our services will continue to be under pressure in the days following the strike.

If it is a life-threatening mental health or medical emergency, such as unconsciousness, chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe loss of blood and choking, it is important you call 999.

However if you, or someone with you, needs urgent, non-life threatening care, get advice first by visiting 111online if possible, or call 111 if you cannot access it online. A trained advisor will assess you and direct you to the most appropriate place to receive care.

GPs and pharmacists can deal with a wide range of non-urgent issues. Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals, who can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, aches and pains.

If you do need to get to hospital and it’s not an emergency, consider making your own way if you can as ambulances will prioritise patients with life-threatening needs. If you need someone with you, please only bring one person as our EDs will be extremely busy.

Chief Executive Matthew Trainer said: “We’re working closely with the NHS and local authorities across North East London to manage the impact of industrial action by ambulance staff. Advice for people who think they need emergency care during the strike is available on our ‘get the right care for you page.