New Health Secretary Victoria Atkins hints she could end never-ending NHS strikes as she vows to ‘get around the table’ with militant unions to find a ‘fair resolution’
New Health Minister Victoria Atkins has revealed she is an ‘optimist’ who will take a different approach to negotiations with doctors in a bid to end the strikes.
She told health bosses at the NHS Providers’ annual conference in Liverpool that she will ‘sit around the table’ to find a ‘fair and reasonable solution’.
In a pre-recorded video message, Ms Atkins said she plans to work with staff to overcome the challenges in healthcare and “make the long-term decisions that will build a better future for our NHS”.
She added: “This is the approach I will take to industrial action.
“I am acutely aware of how the strikes have disrupted patient care and I am committed to coming to the table because I want to see a fair and reasonable solution.”
She told health bosses at the NHS Providers’ annual conference in Liverpool that she will ‘sit around the table’ to find a ‘fair and reasonable solution’. In a pre-recorded video message, Ms Atkins said she plans to work with staff to overcome the challenges in healthcare and “make the long-term decisions that will build a better future for our NHS”.
Official figures also show that waiting lists for routine NHS procedures have risen to a new record, with around 6.5 million patients in England waiting for 7.77 million appointments and procedures in England. But the Treasury Department has refused to fully bail out the health care system, forcing executives to scale back plans to clear the backlog.
NHS strikes have led to the cancellation of more than 1 million appointments and operations and cost around £1 billion.
The Treasury has refused to fully bail out the health service, forcing executives to scale back plans to clear the $7.8 million backlog.
At the start of her message, Ms Atkins said she “starts by thanking you all for all the fantastic and vital work you do.”
She added: ‘I’m sorry I can’t be with you in Liverpool, but I’m really looking forward to getting to know you and working with you in the weeks and months ahead.
“It is a real pleasure and privilege to serve as your Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
‘My belief in our national healthcare system and its fundamental principles is one of the reasons I entered politics.
‘Now I know you may hear this often, but for me it is really personal.
Like families across the country, I owe our NHS a lot.
“It provided for me and my family and bought my wonderful son into the world.
“I want to make sure it’s in good shape here for our children and grandchildren, just like it’s been here for us.”
Ms Atkins said there is ‘a lot of work to do’ as the Government’s reforms are ‘in bed’ and the NHS faces a tough winter.
“We know winter will be challenging, but this year we all started preparing earlier than ever,” she said.
‘With our recovery plan we can continue to expand capacity, build resilience and deliver better care.
This must be our first priority.
‘I recognize that this requires collaboration with other organizations and sectors – for example working with the police to support people suffering from mental health crises.’
She told staff they have overcome “a once-in-a-generation pandemic” and are working to tackle waiting lists.
She concluded with a sincere thank you to the staff, adding: “Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Now is the time to deliver for patients and for our NHS.”
Discussions are underway between doctor leaders and Department of Health and Social Care officials about the best way to resolve strikes.
NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard told the Providers conference about the first phone call she had with Ms Atkins after becoming Health Secretary.
When asked what the first question she asked Ms Atkins was, Ms Pritchard said: ‘I wonder if you would be interested in the first question she asked me?
Official data released last month shows that more than 100,000 hospital appointments in England were rescheduled due to work stoppages by British Medical Association (BMA) consultants and junior doctors in October. Radiographers also joined the picket lines
“The first question she asked me was, ‘What can I do to help you?’
‘We had a very extensive discussion at the time, but it will come as no surprise to know that one of the first things we talked about was industrial action.
‘So we have been very clear, we have consistently spoken about the impact that industrial action has had on patients, spoken about the impact it has had on our own teams and colleagues, spoken about the impact it has had on finances , but also discussed the impact it has had on our own teams and colleagues. on all sides to work together to find a solution.’
Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents trusts, told the conference on resolving the strikes was ‘absolutely crucial’.
She added: “We really need to get past that industrial action and I was really encouraged to hear Victoria’s approach there in the film, which really focused on coming to the table and negotiating, having a conversation and listening.
“That feels so important and I think there’s even more reason for hope than in recent weeks when we knew conversations were happening.”