NHS industrial action: 14th November to 19th November 2025

Patients and the public are being reassured that help will remain available for those in need, but that disruption to normal service is likely.

The strikes include many working at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and Salisbury District Hospital.

Urgent and emergency care services will continue as normal for those in need, but to ensure teams can focus on people who are most unwell, the public are being asked to choose wisely and to only visit hospital when there is a genuine need to do so.

• Patients who had been intending to visit hospital during the strike, either for an appointment or planned treatment, will be contacted at the earliest opportunity if their care needs to be rescheduled.
• People with appointments who have not been contacted are encouraged to attend as normal, as teams will be working hard to keep as many routine services as possible running during the strikes.

Community pharmacies, which can provide people with advice on medicines, as well as help for minor illnesses without the need for an appointment, will be open as normal throughout the duration of the strikes, as will NHS 111.

The online service – available at www.111.nhs.uk – can provide real-time guidance on how to care for a wide range of health and care conditions, as well as signpost people to nearby in-person help, should it be required.

Further information on all local health and care services can be found online at www.bsw.icb.nhs.uk.

There is a national Q&A for patients on the NHS England website.