The public is being urged to continue to access care if they need it despite planned industrial action.

For the first time this year, Royal College of Nursing members at a number of NHS organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside plan to join strike action on the same day (6 February) as Unite and GMB members of North West Ambulance Service.

Industrial action by North West Ambulance Service staff is planned on the following dates:

• Monday 6 February - Unite and GMB members only
• Friday 10 February - Unison members only
• Thursday 16 February - GMB members only
• Monday 20 February - GMB members only
• Wednesday 22 February - Unite members only

Meanwhile, industrial action by Royal College of Nursing members is planned on Monday 6 February and Tuesday 7 February and is set to impact the following organisations:

• Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
• Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
• Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust
• Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
• The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

NHS pay is a matter for the Government and trade unions.

The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to mitigate risks to patient safety and manage any disruption, including industrial action, but inevitably there will be some service disruption on strike days.

Emergency care and other critical services such as maternity departments will be open as usual and life-threatening calls responded to.

However, there will be fewer ambulances on the roads during days of industrial action by ambulance staff, with the NHS prioritising those with life-threatening needs.

The NHS will do everything it can to go ahead with planned procedures – especially for patients in greatest clinical need – and will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled. If you have not been contacted, please attend your appointment as planned.

Local services will also keep their websites and social media accounts up-to-date with information about service disruption – so please check before you travel.

Irrespective of any industrial action, please do not hesitate to come forward to access care if you need it. We’re urging people to make 111.nhs.uk their first port of call if they need urgent health advice on days of strike action.

NHS 111 Online can tell you:

• Where to get help for your symptoms
• How to find general health information and advice
• Where to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine
• How to get a repeat prescription