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Service Update for Strike Action

On Tuesday December 20, services at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board will be affected by the RCN strike action.

In preparing for this second day of RCN strike action, the Health Board has worked to preserve as many services as possible to maintain patient safety with minimal disruption.

Emergency Department and Critical Care services will continue to be available for the most serious and urgent patients, while patients expecting planned treatment or inpatient surgery will be rearranged as soon as possible.

All Community Vaccination Centres will be closed for the day for all immunisation appointments.  Those affected by this closure have been informed, their appointments cancelled, and new appointments sent out. 

Patients with planned treatment or appointments on the strike day affected are being contacted directly by respective booking teams with details about rearranged appointments.

For patients directly affected by these changes, the Health Board appreciates this may be frustrating but hopes the public understand the need to keep services safe.

As well as the RCN strike on December 20, the strike action planned by GMB ambulance workers for December 21 and 28 is expected to have a significant impact on Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust's ability to respond to 999 calls. 

Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust has updated that:

  • Non-clinical call handlers in their Clinical Contact Centres and the number of emergency ambulances able to respond and attend patients will be directly affected.
  • It will also impact the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service, which many patients depend on to attend hospital appointments.

The public is being encouraged to:

  • Use the NHS 111 Wales website for free health advice and information in the first instance that includes a helpful symptom checker. 
  • Consider using community pharmacies for a range of heath advice including the Common Ailments Scheme. A list of community pharmacies that are available out of hours is available here.
  • Stock up on prescription medications and over the counter remedies for common ailments to reduce the risk of falling ill on strike days.
  • Ensure you have adequate first aid kit supplies in the event you need to administer self-care for minor injuries at home.
  • Take extra care during the cold weather to avoid slips, trips and falls, and accidents on the road.
  • Look out for family, friends and neighbours who are especially vulnerable.

Please only call 999 in a serious or life-threatening emergency to keep Welsh Ambulance Services precious resources for those who need them most.

Full details of GMB strike are available on the Welsh Ambulance Service website: Latest Information on Strike Action (WAST)

The Health Board respects the right of colleagues to participate in or support lawful strike action in a peaceful and safe manner, appreciating the reasons why many colleagues voted in favour of striking.

The Health Board thanks all patients, public, and communities for their understanding in this matter and would like to thank CTMUHB staff who continue to work hard for their patients and communities in very challenging circumstances.

 

19/12/22