Advice and guidance for patients regarding upcoming strike action
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will be affected by the British Medical Association (BMA) industrial action taking place from 07:00am Friday 25th July until 07:00am Wednesday 30th July.
Emergency and Urgent Care
Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is extremely important that you continue to seek medical advice if needed.
Anyone who needs urgent medical care should continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening situations - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.
Clinic Appointments and Planned Care
If your appointment is affected by this industrial action, we will contact you directly by phone.
If you are not contacted, please attend your appointment as planned.
You do not need to contact the department in advance.
Urgent Treatment / Walk-in Centres
No matter where you live, there are local centres to choose from.
They are open 365 days a year, including Christmas Day and bank holidays, to treat all sorts of urgent illnesses and injuries:
Broken bones, Minor cuts, Minor head injury, Bites, Stings, Minor burns, Eye injuries, Childhood illnesses, Abdominal pain, Rashes, Allergic reactions.
Please follow this link for more information
NHS 111
NHS 111 Online can tell you:
- Where to get help for your symptoms
- How to find general health information and advice
- Where to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine
- How to get a repeat prescription
Need urgent mental health crisis support?
If your mental or emotional state quickly gets worse or deteriorates, this can be called a ‘mental health crisis’. In this situation, it is important to get help quickly.
If you need help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week support is available for children, young people and adults.
If you live in St Helens, Halton, Knowsley or Warrington:
If you need help:
24/7 support is available for children, young people and adults in St Helens, Halton, Knowsley and Warrington.
For direct support from a trained professional, text REACH to 85258 or call the Mental Health Crisis Team freephone: 0800 051 1508.
If you live in Liverpool or Sefton:
If you feel you are in crisis:
Mersey Care provide telephone support for people aged 16 and over experiencing a mental health crisis via the freephone number below.
For urgent mental health support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Freephone: 0800 145 6570
If you live in Lancashire or South Cumbria:
If you are in need of wellbeing and mental health support but don’t feel you are in crisis contact:
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) Wellbeing and Mental Health Line
Monday to Friday 7.00pm until 11.00pm. Saturday to Sunday 12.00pm until Midnight.
Freephone: 0800 915 4640
If you feel you are in crisis:
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) Mental Health Crisis Line
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you need urgent help as you are in mental health distress, then there is always someone you can call.
The Mental Health Crisis line is staffed by trained mental health professionals who are able to provide assessment and referrals to appropriate services – ring it if you need to access services or for advice about someone who needs treatment/support.
Freephone: 0800 953 0110
Hospital Mental Health Liaison Teams
These teams offer a 24 hour service based at the A&E departments in:
The teams provide support for people who are identified in A&E departments as having a mental health issue, as well as physical health problems.
GP Services
GP services are not impacted by this strike action. Please continue to attend your GP appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
Please remember to order your repeat prescriptions well in advance. If you do run out of medication, please contact your GP surgery or NHS 111 online who will advise you further.
Maternity Services
Unless contacted directly, please continue to attend for your appointments/scans. All emergency maternity care will continue as normal.
If you receive care at Whiston Hospital and you need urgent advice
- contact our Maternity Triage on: Tel 0151 430 2325
If you receive care at Ormskirk Hospital and you need urgent advice
- contact our Maternity Triage on Tel 01695 656 604
Cancer Services
Unless we contact you in advance, you should continue to attend all appointments for cancer care.
We will keep you updated of any further changes via this page.
Media Enquiries
For all media enquiries, please contact Tel 0151 430 2505.
If you are calling out of hours, please contact the hospital's switchboard on Tel 0151 426 1600 and they will direct your call appropriately.