Junior doctors at the Royal Free London are participating in national industrial action for 72 hours, which started at 7am today (Monday 13 March) and ends 7am on Thursday.

This is after members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) voted in favour of the strike.

The strike action will impact all hospitals at the Royal Free London – Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital and Royal Free Hospital.

Please be assured that we are working hard to ensure we minimise disruption to services. Consultant cover will be in place to maintain safe patient care during this time, along with the normal number of nurses and allied health professionals.

For information on how our services and patients will be affected, please see below:

If you need emergency care

We will prioritise emergency care and patients seeking urgent treatment will be seen. Please do attend as normal.

However, where appropriate, please use other non-hospital services, for advice and treatment during this time, such as:

  •  NHS 111: online www.111.nhs.uk or call 111
  •  your local GP practice
  •  walk-in centres
  •  or pharmacies

If you come to one of our emergency departments and the clinical team there thinks this is not the best service for you, you may be redirected to another service.

If you have a planned procedure

If you’re concerned and feel you need to speak to someone, please contact your clinical team using the contact information on your appointment letter.

If you have an outpatient appointment

If we need to rearrange any outpatient appointments on the days of the strike, we will contact you directly to let you know. If you have an appointment at any of our hospitals, please assume this is going ahead unless you have been told otherwise.

If you are an inpatient

We will have consultant cover in place across all our sites for the duration of the strike, along with the normal number of nursing staff and allied health professionals.