Having your baby during planned strike action
Our maternity services will be running as usual during the strike action planned by GMB and Unison staff working at London Ambulance Service between noon and midnight on 21 December.
There will be fewer ambulances on the road, so people giving birth will need to plan how they come into hospital that day. Ambulances will still respond to emergencies, especially if there is an immediate risk to life.
If you are due to give birth and have any worries, or think you are in labour, please contact us for advice as early as possible.
- Whipps Cross Hospital: 02085395522, ext. 6769
- The Royal London Hospital: 02035942364 or 02035942365
- Newham University Hospital: 02080909999 (between 10.00 and 20.00), out of hours 02073638765 or 02073638778
If you are planning a homebirth around this time, your midwife will speak to you about what this means for your care.
Our hospitals offer different levels of care to babies who are born early or premature. If you are experiencing symptoms of labour including your waters breaking or contractions or tightening before you are 28 weeks pregnant or before six months we want to make sure that you are seen in the right place if your baby is going to be born early.
If you experience any signs of symptoms of early labour before you are 28 weeks or six months pregnant, please contact the team at The Royal London Hospital directly on 02035942364 or 02035942365 and they will be able to advise you on the best place to be seen as transfers between our hospitals may be subject to delays during the strike.
GP and inpatient services are not impacted by this strike action. Please continue to attend your GP and hospital appointments unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
Where the situation is not life-threatening, alternative support will be available through NHS111 online or through NHS 111, and where possible, it is advised that you arrange alternative transport.
For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS website.