This Winter, hospitals are seeing a massive increase in flu cases. Will you join us in praying for the NHS. Here are two significant areas for prayer supplied by the Christian Medical Fellowship.
- Resident doctors (formerly known as junior doctors, ie those in postgraduate, specialist training in the years after qualifying) in England have rejected an offer from the government over conditions and training opportunities and will be taking strike action from Wednesday, 17 to 22 December.
- Pray for all who will be covering for those striking – senior doctors, nurses and midwives, and others.
- Pray for patient safety – especially with the massive surge in seasonal flu cases in the last few weeks (see the next prayer point).
- Pray for both the doctors’ union, the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government to restart negotiations and find a settlement that addresses some of the real concerns of resident doctors with a reasonable and realistic settlement.
- Seasonal influenza is worse this year than for the last few years, meaning several thousand more people are now in hospital with symptoms than were expected, more people are off work with flu (including NHS staff!), and there is more pressure than usual on services.
- Pray for the safety, health, and wellbeing of frontline NHS staff caring for those with season flu.
- Pray for the safety and wellbeing of all those concerned about their health with this flu outbreak – especially the elderly, the very young, and those with other health conditions that make them vulnerable.
- Pray that the public would respond sensibly and take precautions to protect the vulnerable, including more eligible people getting vaccinated.
