Patients in Cheltenham should prepare for changes to emergency care next week as resident doctors begin a six-day period of industrial action from 7am on Tuesday 7 April until 6.59am on Monday 13 April 2026. During this period, the Emergency Department at Cheltenham General Hospital will stop accepting patients overnight, closing its doors from 8pm on Monday 6 April until the strike concludes. During the day, the unit will operate as a Minor Injury and Illness Unit between 8am and 8pm.
The Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that all emergency care will be centralised at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, which will remain open 24 hours a day to handle urgent cases. This action is the 15th walkout by resident doctors since the national dispute over pay began in March 2023 and is tied as the longest strike in that timeline.
Health officials are urging residents to use alternative services for non-life-threatening conditions, particularly as the county is currently facing record-high levels of flu, which are 50% higher than this time last year. Patients are encouraged to use the NHS 111 service or visit local pharmacies and community Minor Injury and Illness Units, which will remain open across the county between 8am and 8pm.
The latest strike follows a collapsed round of negotiations between the government and the British Medical Association. While the government offered a package that included training benefits and career progression, resident doctors voted by 83% to 17% to reject the proposal, citing a long-term decline in pay since 2008. The union is seeking pay restoration to align with salary levels from nearly two decades ago.
Following the breakdown in talks, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting have strongly criticised the decision to proceed with the strike, with the Prime Minister and Health Secretary threatening to withdraw 1,000 specialist training positions. Despite these tensions, local NHS leadership, including NHS Gloucestershire, is focusing on managing the increased pressure on emergency services throughout the week.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
