The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced that resident doctors will take part in strike action from 7am on Friday 25 July to 7am on Wednesday 30 July 2025.

This industrial action is expected to have an impact on services provided by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

While our top priority remains the safety and care of our patients, we anticipate some unavoidable disruption during this period.

Impact on Services

We are committed to maintaining emergency care and life-preserving services throughout the strike action. However, some non-urgent outpatient appointments and procedures may need to be rescheduled.

If your appointment or procedure is affected, our teams will contact you directly. If you do not hear from us, please attend your appointment as planned.

What You Can Do to Help

We’re asking the public to support us by using NHS services appropriately during this period. If you need medical help but it's not an emergency, please consider:

  • Visiting www.111.nhs.uk using the NHS app, or calling NHS 111
  • Contacting your GP practice
  • Speaking to a local pharmacist for expert advice on minor conditions

Emergency Care

Our Emergency Departments (A&E) will remain open, but will be under increased pressure. Patients will be seen in order of clinical urgency, and those with less urgent issues may face long waits or be redirected to a more suitable service.

We understand this may be frustrating, but we are asking for your patience and cooperation. If advised to attend another service, please do so unless your condition worsens.

A Message to Our Community

We would like to thank our patients and local communities for their understanding and support during this challenging time.

Please continue to treat all NHS staff with kindness and respect as they work hard to care for everyone in challenging circumstances.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and assure you that every effort is being made to minimise the impact of the strike action.

For updates and further information, please check our website and social media channels.

Thank you for your understanding and support.