THE NHS in Hampshire has asked the public to help keep A&E departments free during the upcoming junior doctors’ strike.

Junior doctors are to strike from 7am on Thursday, June 27 until 7am on Tuesday, July 2.

The NHS predicts that emergency departments will be busy and is asking patients to choose the right service for themselves to avoid overloading A&E units.

The British Medical Association has organised the strikes because it claims the Government has not yet made a good enough offer to junior doctors.

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Junior doctors have a base salary of £32,398 (Image: Dr Philippa Whitford)

Junior doctors say they are underpaid and overworked, claiming they are paid more than 25 per cent less than they were in 2008.

The lowest salary for a trainee doctor is £32,398. This rises by almost £5,000 in their second year of training.

Urgent Treatment Centres will be open during the strike and are equipped to deal with minor injuries, such as cuts, sprains or minor burns and can be found in the following locations: Andover, Gosport, St Marys, the Isle of Wight, Lymington, Petersfield, St Mary’s Portsmouth and Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton.

Pharmacies will also provide some basic services.

Further details of pharmacies and Urgent Treatment Centres can be found here.

Patients with appointments booked on strike days will be contacted by the NHS if their appointment needs to be rescheduled due to industrial action. If you have not been contacted, you should attend your appointment as planned.

You can also download the Healthier Together app for advice if you are a parent or carer for a child under 18 years old. The app can help you decide whether you can self-care for them at home or if you need help, which service is best to meet their needs. It also provides advice and guidance for pregnant women.

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Dr Zaid Hirmiz, deputy chief medical officer for NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said: “We are so grateful to our public who have supported their local NHS during the previous strike action by choosing carefully which NHS service to access and we ask that they do that again this week.

"You can help by taking simple steps during industrial action to look after yourselves, your loved ones and to check in on vulnerable family members and neighbours.

“There are a number of alternative services including pharmacies which can now treat seven common conditions such as sinusitis and ear infections; urgent treatment centres (UTCs); Healthier Together for advice on caring for children and 111 online. By using one of these alternative services, it allows our teams in our emergency departments to attend to those patients who need urgent care and attention.

“No one should put off seeking help in an emergency, however we are urging people to only attend our Emergency Departments if it is a life or limb threatening situation.”