As winter settles in, Yorkshire’s NHS faces a turbulent fortnight marked by industrial action, mounting service pressures and renewed public-health warnings. Here are the top health stories shaping the region.
Doctors’ strike looms large in Yorkshire hospitals
Junior doctors across England – including those working in Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Hull and York – are set to walk out, prompting regional hospital trusts to ready themselves for widespread disruption to planned care.
A letter issued by NHS England outlines industrial action by the British Medical Association’s resident doctors committee for 14-19 November.
Dr James Thomas, Medical Director for the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, said: “The safety and care of people who use our services is our highest priority, and it is important that people continue to use our services when they need them.
“NHS teams across West Yorkshire will be working throughout the strike period to keep people safe and well, but services will be affected. Our region’s hospitals and mental health trusts will be significantly impacted, as will some GP practices, and this will have a knock on effect on other parts of the healthcare system.”
Hospital trusts warn that outpatient appointments and non-urgent operations may face “significant delays”. Patients with planned appointments are urged to check for updates, and to keep adequate supplies of regular medication ahead of the walkout.
Flu & COVID infections rising early & vaccination push begins
Across North East and Yorkshire, vaccinations are being ramped up in response to an early surge in influenza cases. The region is offering nearly 350,000 flu vaccination slots this week alone to help counter the wave.
Meanwhile the national weekly surveillance report shows influenza activity is already increasing and hospital admissions rising. Noting the rise as “an unusually early start of the influenza season”.
Public-health teams are urging all eligible adults, particularly those aged 65+, pregnant women, those with underlying conditions, and frontline staff, to book their flu and COVID-19 vaccines now through the NHS App, online or by calling 119. Taking action early, officials say, may ease the burden on hospital services in the coming weeks.
Ambulance service monitoring rising winter demand
The Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (YAS) has reported improved performance this year, with 2025’s average category-2 response time now 26 minutes 48 seconds, down from 30 minutes 15 seconds in 2024. This update was published in a report to North Yorkshire Council’s Richmondshire Area Committee on 10 November 2025.
YAS says it is preparing for increased pressure as winter respiratory illnesses begin to rise across the region. Its updated winter plan notes that: “The profile of likely winter-related patient demand is modelled and understood, and individual organisations have plans that connect together to ensure patients’ needs are met, including at times of peak pressure.”
Despite the improvements, YAS says demand is expected to intensify in December as respiratory cases climb and emergency departments become busier.
Warm-space schemes expand across Yorkshire
Warm-space networks are expanding across Leeds, Barnsley, York, Calderdale and Hull as councils and charities prepare for a rise in cold-related illness and increasing pressure on household energy budgets.
In York, the council describes warm spaces as places where residents can go “free of charge… to keep warm if you’re struggling to heat your home,” emphasising that many hubs now play a broader community role. The council says these centres are already showing “visible improvements to residents’ health and wellbeing, both mental and physical,” reflecting their shift from simple heated rooms to supportive community environments.
Across West Yorkshire, health leaders are using their “Together We Can” winter campaign to help residents navigate services safely and ease pressure on A&E. The partnership says the campaign aims to ensure people “access health and care services at the right time and place,” and encourages those with minor illnesses to “choose well” by using pharmacies, NHS 111 or GP practices first.
National public-health evidence reinforces the importance of these schemes. A UK Health Security Agency review notes that cold homes pose significant risks to both physical and mental health and highlights that warm-space initiatives emerged in response to rising heating costs and growing need.