Hospitals in Somerset will avoid disruption to health services from the national strike by nurses on Thursday and patients are being urged to attend appointments as normal unless told otherwise.

Members of the Royal College of Nursing at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and Yeovil District Hospital, as well as community hospitals including Wellington and Minehead, will not be joining the industrial action.

Members will be on strike at a quarter of hospitals across England, including in Bristol and Devon, but not in Somerset, during the action on Thursday, December 15, and Tuesday, December 20.

Meanwhile ambulance workers in the South West are due to strike in support of their pay claim on Wednesday, December 21. Unison, and most other health unions, have called for an above-inflation pay rise.

Nurses voted to strike in a pay dispute covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The RCN wants a pay rise 5% above the price inflation rate, currently 14%, following what it says are years of real-terms cuts amounting to 6% over the last decade.

NHS staff in England and Wales have been given a pay rise of 4.75%, guaranteeing a rise of at least £1,400 for the lowest paid. The Government says that reflects the recommendation of the independent review body.

The strike is likely to affect routine care, but life-preserving treatment will be unaffected in hospitals where nurses are on strike, which means those in emergency departments and intensive care will still be at work.

The NHS is urging patients to attend planned appointments, unless they are contacted.

It said in a statement: “Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.

“If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned. The NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action. GP services are not impacted by this strike action. Please continue to attend your GP appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.”

A spokesperson for the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said: “Colleagues who are members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will not be taking part in strike action at Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust or Somerset NHS Foundation Trust on Thursday 15 December or Tuesday 20 December.

“The industrial action is a national dispute between the Government and Trades Unions about terms and conditions of employment. Further information on the industrial action can be found on the NHS website.”