HOSPITAL appointments will go ahead during the junior doctors' strike – unless patients have been told not to attend.

The first of three further national 48-hour strikes by junior doctors, announced by the British Medical Association (BMA), is scheduled to begin at 8am tomorrow. Two further strikes will take place on Wednesday 6 and Tuesday 26 April. The strikes will take the form of emergency care only.

A spokesman for Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said emergency care, including A&E and emergency surgery, will run as normal during the strike.

However, people should think carefully before coming to A&E and consider using alternative community healthcare services, such as a pharmacist, GP or NHS 111, unless it is an emergency.

The Trust’s cancer services, maternity services, including neonatal and labour wards, will also run as normal, as will pathology, radiology, rheumatology and ophthalmology services.

The spokesman said the Trust has robust plans in place to ensure all wards are safely covered and essential services are maintained on the day of the strike.

Where some non-urgent operations and outpatient clinic appointments have needed to be rearranged, patients have been contacted directly.

The Trust runs North Manchester General Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, The Royal Oldham Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary as well as community services.

Gill Harris, Chief Nurse at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We have planned carefully for the 48 hour strike and we will continue to put patient safety and the welfare of our patients first. Our A&E departments and urgent care services will operate as usual, as will our cancer and maternity services, but we are asking the public to think carefully before turning up to our A&Es if their condition is not urgent or they can seek medical advice and treatment from a local pharmacy, GP, NHS 111 or via the NHS Choices website.

“As with previous strikes, a number of scheduled non-emergency and planned services have had to be rearranged. Where this is the case we have contacted our patients concerned directly to reschedule their appointment and we will ensure that they are seen as quickly as possible. They will not go to the back of the queue. We are committed to ensuring that disruption to our patients and their families is minimised.”

More information and updates will be regularly available on the Trust website at www.pat.nhs.uk and also via the Trust Twitter account @pennineacutenhs