Published on: 15 December 2025
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT) is calling on people to play their part in supporting the NHS over the busy festive period.
The call comes as the Trust prepares for the confirmed industrial action from resident doctors which will start at 7am on Wednesday, December 17 and run to 7am on Monday, December 22.
Healthcare leaders at STSFT are already geared up for the busiest time of the year with hospitals and community teams prepared for the increased pressure on services. Plans are also in place to make sure care is safely delivered during the period of strike action.
Like other NHS organisations across the country, STSFT is seeing high levels of patients who have flu and other respiratory illnesses. Last week, it reintroduced mask wearing for staff, patients and visitors. It is also urging people to clean their hands and leave germs at the door.
The Trust has now issued further guidance for patients and their loved ones:
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If you are feeling unwell, please don’t visit a loved one in hospital or any other care setting.
- If you take regular prescription medicines, please contact your GP and make sure you have enough to cover Christmas and New Year.
- Please make sure you stock up on any over the counter medicines so you can treat any minor illnesses and injuries yourself. Items which can be useful to have to hand during the bank holidays are paracetamol, indigestion relief and anti-diarrhoea tablets.
The Trust is also reminding people how to access help when they need it:
- Think pharmacy first – pharmacists are experts. They can offer advice on a range of illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, ear infections and aches and pains. They can also give advice about medicines and suggest treatments that do not need a prescription for a range of conditions. Local pharmacy opening times are available here: Find a pharmacy
- Use NHS 111 (24/7) - If you think you need medical help right now, 111 online can tell you what to do next and the best place to get the quickest treatment Get help for your symptoms - NHS 111.
- People who live in South Tyneside and Sunderland can also use the Trust’s new Care Co-ordination Hub (24/7) to get help for any adult patients already being cared for in the community. You can call 0191 565 6100 to get help 24/7, including bank holidays.
The Care Coordination Hub in South Tyneside and Sunderland is now the main contact point for all adult community nursing teams. It brings together a host of community services to support patients and helps ensure hospital beds are available for those who need them.
Sheena Fish is the Trust’s Divisional Director of Operations. Commenting on the upcoming resident doctor action this week, she said:
“We want to reassure people that we have robust plans in place during this week’s industrial action. If you have a planned appointment with us, please attend this as usual unless you have heard directly from us to advise you otherwise. We have been working hard to minimise disruption for patients and make sure we can continue to deliver safe care.”
Dr Shaz Wahid, the Trust’s Executive Medical Director, added: “The public can really help us as we safely manage through this period of strike action and the busy festive period.
“We ask that you follow our advice to seek help from your pharmacist or use the NHS 111 service if you need urgent help but are not sure where to go. This is by far the quickest way to access services. It also means we can make sure those with serious or life-threatening problems get quick access to hospital care.
“We are already facing a very busy time because of flu and other respiratory illnesses and that’s why we have reintroduced mask wearing to help stop the spread of germs. This will remain in place until at least the end of January and I urge everyone to support us as we try to keep everyone safe.”
