Patients in Durham are being urged to prepare for potential service disruptions as the British Medical Association has called for a six-day strike by resident doctors. The industrial action is set to take place from 7am on Tuesday 7 April until 6.59am on Monday 13 April 2026, impacting the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.
The trust, which provides healthcare services to 650,000 people across the region, has confirmed that emergency departments will remain open throughout the strike period. However, officials warn that these services will be under increased pressure. Patients are advised that they will be seen in order of clinical urgency, and those with less serious health concerns may face long waits or be redirected to other services.
Some non-urgent outpatient appointments and procedures are expected to be rescheduled to manage the reduced staffing levels. The trust has stated that patients whose care is directly affected will be contacted by hospital staff. If patients do not receive any notification, they are advised to attend their appointments as originally planned.
This strike is the latest development in a long-running pay and staffing dispute between the government and the union that began in spring 2023. This is the 14th strike to occur since the dispute started. Negotiations stalled after the British Medical Association rejected a government offer that included a 3.5% pay award for 2026/27, with additional changes to pay progression phased in over three years. The union argues that resident doctor pay remains a fifth lower than 2008 levels when adjusted for inflation, while the government maintains that the current pay demands are not sustainable.
As the strike takes place, NHS England has instructed health trusts to prioritise emergency care, cancer treatment, and urgent surgery while aiming to maintain 95% of normal activity levels. During this time, residents are encouraged to seek medical advice from pharmacists, GPs, or by contacting the NHS 111 service for non-emergency health needs.
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