- This week, around one in three operations will be canceled across England
The NHS is facing 'one of the toughest starts to the year ever' as trainee doctors embark on its longest strike yet, the country's top doctor warned last night.
Around one in three operations in England will be canceled this week to ease the six-day strike, which starts tomorrow, during what is usually the busiest week of the year.
But officials have warned it will continue to have a 'serious impact in the weeks to come' as the health service struggles with the added pressure of flu, Covid and staff illness.
Nearly 86,000 appointments were canceled during the three days of industrial action in December, with experts suggesting twice as many will be affected this week.
Thousands of cancer patients and expectant mothers, needing a planned but urgent caesarean section, are among health leaders warned this could cause harm. Junior doctors will strike from 7am tomorrow until 7am the following Tuesday (January 9) – the longest consecutive strike action in the history of the NHS.
Striking junior doctors and consultants, organized by the BMA, are being joined by members of the UNITE union, who are on strike for more pay against the East London NHS Foundation Trust. Members of both unions marched around the Royal London Hospital on September 20, 2023
Around one in three operations in England will be canceled this week to ease the six-day strike, which starts tomorrow during what is usually the busiest week of the year (file photo)
Sir Stephen Powis, the medical director of NHS England, said extensive preparations had been made but could only go so far, with a peak in winter illnesses expected after the Christmas and New Year festivities. He added: 'This January could be one of the toughest starts to the year the NHS has ever faced.
'Six consecutive days of industrial action falls within one of our busiest periods – the action will not only have a huge impact on planned care, but comes on top of a host of seasonal pressures such as Covid, flu and staff absenteeism due to illness – all of which has an impact the way patients flow through hospitals.
'Our healthcare colleagues are doing their utmost for patients every day with extensive preparations, but there is no doubt that they will start 2024 with a disadvantage. Not only will the action have an impact next week, it will continue to have a serious impact in the weeks to come.” Figures released last month showed that more than 1.2 million appointments have so far been postponed during strikes over the past 13 months.
The British Medical Association (BMA) union wants a 35 percent pay rise for trainee doctors, which it says would restore real earnings to 2008 levels.
BMA junior doctors at a picket line outside University College London Hospital as they begin three-day strike action in London on December 20, 2023 in a long-running dispute over pay
Junior Doctors attend their picket line at UCLH in Euston in London on December 20, 2023
But the government says this is unaffordable and is offering an additional 3 percent increase on top of an average increase of 8.8 percent for 2023-2024.
The NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare organisations, said the standoff means 'patient safety will once again be seriously compromised'.
It said the timing of the 144-hour continuous disruptions will leave hospitals, GP practices and other services in a 'very vulnerable position'.
Chief executive Matthew Taylor said: 'Parts of the NHS will be walking on very thin ice, and they will need the BMA to support any recall requests for junior doctors when services come under extreme pressure.'
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'We urge the BMA Junior Doctors Committee to call off their strikes and return 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.”