Consultants and junior doctors will go on strike this week in a historic walkout which will see hospitals operate with Christmas day levels of staffing.

While emergency care will still be provided, planned care is likely to come to a halt with thousands of appointments cancelled.

Consultants in England will walk out for 48 hours from 7am today, and will be joined by their junior colleagues tomorrow.

Junior doctors will then continue their strike on Thursday and Friday.

Both groups will then strike together on October 2, 3 and 4, again resulting in Christmas day cover. On October 3, they will also be joined by radiographers. 

It is the first time in NHS history the strikes have overlapped.

READ MORE: Southampton General Hospital junior doctors strike begins

Andrea Lewis, Chief Nurse for NHS England South East, said: “We expect that this latest round of industrial action will cause significant pressure on the NHS and it’s expected to be busy, with both consultants and junior doctors striking simultaneously for the first time.

“We continue to ask the public to use NHS services responsibly and to contact NHS 111 online if you need medical advice or you are not sure where to go. If is life threatening, then call 999 as usual.”

Strike impact at a glance

September marks ten months of industrial action across the NHS, which has seen more than 885,000 inpatient and outpatient appointments rescheduled.

Strikes in late August saw around 12,554 staff off due to industrial action across the country, 1,308 of which were in the South East.

More than 6,407 appointments were disrupted over three days in the region due to the last round of industrial action. 

In Southampton, nearly 2,000 hospital appointments were cancelled when junior doctors went on strike in April.

NHS figures released on Friday show 58,890 people are waiting for treatment with University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust.

Of those waiting, a total of 1957 have been waiting longer than a year. 

The NHS target is for patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks for hospital treatment, but 36 per cent of patients on waiting lists for treatment in Southampton are waiting longer than that.

'Government has failed'

Cllr Lorna Fielker, Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Health at Southampton City Council said: "Doctors strikes are hampering NHS effort to bring down waiting lists, but the Health Secretary hasn’t met junior doctors since May or consultants since March. Rishi Sunak still refuses to meet either group of doctors.

"People in Southampton need to know that when they are referred for treatment they can be confident that they won’t have to wait more than a year. In the meantime, local health workers are having to pick up the pieces of the government’s failure on the NHS."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson acknowledged the strikes will cause disruption but said: "We accepted the independent pay review body’s recommendations in full, meaning doctors who started their hospital training this year are receiving a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8%.

"Consultants are receiving a 6% pay rise and are already in the top 2% of earners in the country.

"This pay award is final and the Health and Social Care Secretary is clear his door is open to discuss non pay issues if the BMA call an end to this damaging disruption."

What to do during strikes

People are advised to "choose services wisely" and consider going to the urgent treatment centres in Southampton and Lymington for non-life-threatening injuries or conditions.

Dan Baylis, Chief Medical Officer for Solent NHS Trust, said: “You can help us by only attending our Emergency Departments or calling 999 if your condition is life threatening such as sign of a heart attack, stroke, heavy bleeding, or difficulty breathing.

“Please don’t wait if your condition is life or limb threatening, it is important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal.

“If it isn’t an emergency, please use other services such as using your nearest Urgent Treatment Centre, community pharmacy for minor ailments or medication queries, or a consultation with your GP. You can call or visit 111 online if you need urgent help and aren’t sure where to go.”