Residents in Carlton and across Nottinghamshire should prepare for disruption to health services next week as resident doctors at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust begin six days of strike action. The industrial action is set to run from 7am on Tuesday 7 April until 6.59am on Monday 13 April 2026, and may impact non-urgent appointments at the trust’s facilities, which include the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital.
This strike marks the first of 2026 and follows the British Medical Association’s decision to reject a government pay proposal. The offer included a 3.5% pay uplift, exam fee reimbursements, and a commitment to 4,000 additional specialty training posts over three years. Union representatives stated the offer did not adequately address long-term concerns regarding pay erosion.
During this period, NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is urging the public to attend A&E only for genuine, life-threatening emergencies. While the strike will affect staffing, health officials noted that during the previous period of industrial action in December 2025, the health service maintained nearly 95% of planned routine care.
The Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust remains under significant operational pressure due to ongoing scrutiny, including the Ockenden Review into maternity care and active investigations by Nottinghamshire Police. Due to these specific circumstances, doctors working in the trust’s maternity wards have previously been granted exemptions from strike action.
Patients with existing appointments scheduled for next week are advised to attend unless they are contacted by the NHS directly with alternative arrangements. Those needing non-urgent medical advice are encouraged to consider using local pharmacies, GP services, or the NHS 111 service to help keep emergency departments clear for those in critical need.
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