Elderly and sick Barking and Dagenham residents are being urged to prepare for NHS industrial action in which thousands of healthcare workers will strike over pay across London this Thursday.

The London Ambulance Service has advised people to stock up on regular medication and seek support from family and friends ahead of their 24-hour strike, which starts at 00.01am on Thursday.

UNISON members including nurses and paramedics will also stage a 12-hour stoppage from 9am to 9pm on Thursday.

Picket lines will be erected at hospitals including Queen’s in Rom Valley Way, Romford.

LAS Chief Executive Dr Fionna Moore said: “We’d encourage Londoners to plan ahead, be sensible about their activities and be prepared should they need medical help on Thursday.”

Dr Moore said Londoners should use alternative health services instead of calling 999, such as visiting their pharmacies or GPs or calling NHS 111.

Delays are likely to continue into Friday as the ambulance service gets back to normal.

UNISON Regional Secretary Linda Perks said that NHS staff are on average 10per cent worse off than when the Coalition came to power in 2010.

She said: “NHS workers don’t take action often or lightly.

“In spite of two four-hour strikes and two periods of action short of strike Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is still not listening.”