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Strike Action
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) will be taking industrial action from Monday 15th June for one month.
During this period, ELHT has advised that they will only be able to process urgent blood tests.
What this means for you
- We will have to determine which blood tests are urgent and which are routine.
- Our team will be contacting patients who are booked in for routine blood tests to rearrange their appointments.
- Please be patient, understanding, and respectful to our staff. This situation is beyond our control, and our team is working hard to support everyone.
This is not an Irwell Medical Practice decision, nor do we have any involvement in this action.
The impact will be felt across East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust services, including:
- GP practices across East Lancashire
- Out of Hours services
- East Lancashire Hospitals
- Community and drop-in blood clinics
Patients requiring urgent blood tests will continue to be prioritised in line with clinical guidance.
Thank you for your patience and continued support. We are all in this together.
Key messages for patients
- Capacity for blood tests in East Lancashire is currently limited: Due to industrial action at local hospital laboratories, there is currently reduced capacity to process routine blood tests.
- Urgent tests are still going ahead: Tests that are clinically urgent - including those for suspected cancer or serious conditions - are continuing to be prioritised.
- Routine blood tests may be delayed: Many routine or non-urgent blood tests are being temporarily postponed during this period.
- You may be contacted to rearrange your appointment: If your blood test is affected, your GP practice will be in touch to reschedule it as soon as capacity returns.
- Please attend if your appointment is urgent: If you have been asked to attend for an urgent blood test, please still come to your appointment as planned.
- Your care remains a priority: NHS teams are working together to ensure that patients with the most urgent needs continue to receive care safely.
- We are working to restore services as quickly as possible: Local NHS organisations are exploring all options to increase testing capacity and return to normal services.
- Please be patient with your GP practice: GP teams are managing high demand and limited testing availability, and appreciate your understanding during this challenging time.
- Check online for the latest updates: The most up-to-date information is available on the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board website.
Published: Jun 15, 2026