The NHS has warned that patients should expect ‘significant disruption’ to services in Buckinghamshire during the upcoming period of industrial action.

Resident doctors, who were previously known as junior doctors, agreed to strike between 7am on Friday 25 July until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.

The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) Integrated Care Board (ICB) has confirmed that services in the Buckinghamshire NHS Trust area will be impacted.

However, the ICB has also advised that all other medical staff will be working as normal. The NHS says discussions are ongoing with unions to ensure that emergency care departments remain staffed during the industrial action.

placeholder image — Stoke Mandeville Hospital

Patients will be contacted if their appointments are rescheduled due to the strikes and are advised to continue as normal if they are not informed otherwise.

The British Medical Association is calling for a 29.2% pay rise to bring wages back in line with 2008 levels. The union is seeking a rise to bring pay in line with inflation increases since 2008.

Dr Ben Riley, chief medical officer at the NHS BOB ICB, said: "We are also asking patients to choose services appropriately during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available for people who need it most.

"This includes using NHS 111 online as the first port of call for health needs, and as ever only using 999 if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency. For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, see the NHS website. "NHS staff will work hard during this very challenging time – we are asking everyone to treat them with respect."