The NHS is facing ‘one of the most difficult starts to the year ever’ as junior doctors embark on the longest walkout so far, the country’s top doctor warned last night.
Around one in three operations are set to be cancelled across England this week to mitigate the six-day strike, which begins tomorrow during what is typically the busiest week of the year.
But officials have warned it will continue to have a ‘serious impact in the weeks after’ while the health service struggles with the additional pressures from flu, Covid and staff sickness.
Almost 86,000 appointments were cancelled during the three days of industrial action in December, with experts suggesting twice as many will be hit this week.
Thousands of cancer patients and expectant mothers, in need of planned but urgent caesareans, are among those health leaders have warned could come to harm. Junior doctors strike from 7am tomorrow until 7am on the following Tuesday (January 9) – the longest consecutive strike action in the history of the NHS.
Striking Junior doctors and consultants organised by the BMA are joined by members of the UNITE trade union, on strike for more pay against the East London NHS Foundation Trust. The members of both trade unions marched around the Royal London Hospital on September 20, 2023
Around one in three operations are set to be cancelled across England this week to mitigate the six-day strike, which begins tomorrow during what is typically the busiest week of the year (File Photo)
Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical director, said extensive preparations had been made but could only go so far, with a spike in winter illnesses expected following Christmas and New Year festivities. He added: ‘This January could be one of the most difficult starts to the year the NHS has ever faced.
‘Six consecutive days of industrial action comes at one of our busiest periods – the action will not only have an enormous impact on planned care, but comes on top of a host of seasonal pressures such as Covid, flu, and staff absences due to sickness – all of which is impacting on how patients flow through hospitals.
‘Our colleagues across the health service are doing their very best for patients every day with extensive preparations in place, but there’s no doubt they are starting 2024 on the back foot. Not only will action impact next week, it will continue to have a serious impact in the weeks after.’ Figures released last month showed more than 1.2million appointments have so far been postponed during strikes in the past 13 months.
The British Medical Association (BMA) union wants a 35 per cent pay rise for junior doctors, which it says would restore real earnings to 2008 levels.
Junior doctors from BMA at a picket line outside University College London Hospital as they start a strike action for three days in a long-running dispute over pay, in London, on December 20, 2023
Junior Doctors attend their picket line at UCLH at Euston in London on December 20, 2023
But the Government says this is unaffordable, offering an extra 3 per cent rise on top of an average 8.8 per cent increase for 2023-24.
The NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare organisations, said the stalemate means ‘patient safety will again be put at serious risk’.
It said timing of the 144-hour continuous stoppages will leave hospitals, GP surgeries and other services in a ‘highly vulnerable position’.
Chief executive Matthew Taylor said: ‘Parts of the NHS will be skating on very thin ice, and they will need the BMA to back any recall requests for junior doctors when services find themselves under extreme pressure.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘We urge the BMA Junior Doctors Committee to call off their strikes and come back to the negotiating table so we can find a fair and reasonable solution, and so we can all get back to focusing on patients and their care.’
