Resident doctors belonging to the British Medical Association (BMA) have announced five days of industrial action from Friday 25th July 2025 as part of their national pay dispute with the Government.

This page explains what this means for people under the care of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.

The industrial action is from:

  • 7:00am (07:00) on Friday 25th July 2025 until 7:00am (07:00) on Wednesday 30th July 2025

What this means for our patients

We have extensive plans in place to make sure we can continue providing safe, high-quality care during the strikes. We expect to deliver services including chemotherapy and other systemic anti-cancer therapies, radiotherapy, diagnostics, inpatient care, many outpatient consultations and urgent cancer care. (We do not provide surgery.)

If you have an appointment on a strike day

You should attend your appointment as planned unless we contact you directly to say otherwise.

Inpatient care

There will be appropriate senior medical cover on our wards throughout so inpatients will continue to receive expert medical care during industrial action.

If you need urgent advice / care on strike days

Call 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency. 

Visit our urgent and emergency cancer care page for more information. 

  • Our Hotline team is available 24/7 – including strike days – on 0800 169 5555 for anyone who is currently being treated at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre or who completed treatment in the last six weeks and who needs urgent care or advice (e.g. due to treatment side-effects).
  • Emergency departments in our region are expected to be very busy. For general health advice and queries – including an online symptom checker – visit 111 online or call 111 if you don't have internet access:
  • Make NHS 111 your first port of call for all non-emergency health needs.
  • NHS 111 online offers you fast access to advice on the best options for getting care. They can also organise call backs from a trained clinician or nurse, or book you a face to face appointment in A&E or with a GP if needed.
  • It’s really important that people know where to go for advice and treatment this week, as local services are very busy: contact NHS 111 in the first instance, or try a walk-in centre, GP, or pharmacy.