‘Extreme disruption’ expected as 72-hour junior doctors and consultants strike begins
NHS bosses have called for ‘Christmas Day’ cover as staff have launched their longest period of joint strike action.
Cover has stepped in from 7am this morning and is due to continue until the same time on Thursday. Staff members have been called to cover junior doctors and consultants as last month joint strike action was launched for the first time in NHS history, which led to almost 130,000 impatient and outpatient appointments being rescheduled.
The industrial action that began today comes as the government have urged unions to end ‘relentless’ strike action, insisting doctors have received a ‘fair and reasonable’ pay rise. In September the government offered a 10.3% uplift, which means basic pay for a first-year junior doctor increased from £29,000 to £32,000.
However, unions representing junior doctors have claimed this pay increase is not enough. Although various issues have arisen as a result of staff walkouts, the British Medical Association (BMA), whose members are striking, said doctors are ‘fed up’ of being labelled the problem.
The organisation said new research of over 1,000 adults showed that government attempts to blame medics for ‘crippling long’ waiting lists have not convinced the public.
In addition, more than two in five respondents blamed the government for the increase in waiting lists for elective treatment, which have risen from 2.6 million in 2010 to almost 7.7 million.
‘Doctors are fed up of being told we are the problem with the NHS,’ said Professor Phil Banfield, the BMA chair of council. ‘Wanting to be valued for our expertise the same as we were in 2008 is not a radical demand; in fact, it is essential to having the workforce needed to bring down waiting times.’
Professor Banfield added: ‘It is not fair for the government to continue to blame doctors or other healthcare workers for their own failure to properly resource the health service in England.
‘What we see today is that the public largely sees through that excuse. Many more appointments and operations are cancelled outside the strike days because of a shortage of beds, staff or operating capacity due to the relative chronic underfunding.
‘As the party in government for the last 13 years they need to use this year’s conference to look back at their record and consider there might be an alternative to policies that have led to millions more on waiting lists and an NHS on its knees. We will be there to help suggest a better way – one that values doctors properly.’
Political party conferences began towards the end of September and the conservative conference is currently underway and is expected to run until 4th October.
NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: ‘NHS services have had very little time to recover from the previous action, and to now face an unprecedented three consecutive days of ‘Christmas Day’ cover this week which will prove extremely challenging, with almost all routine care brought to a near-standstill.
‘Staff are working incredibly hard to prioritise emergency care, and we’re very grateful to the public for using the NHS wisely during this period of disruption by using 999 in life-threatening situations and 111 online and community services like pharmacies and GPs for everything else.’
Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA
NHS strikes: Nurses in Wales have begun a fresh wave of walkouts
