Striking junior doctors, consultants and radiographers will put patients’ lives in danger when they again walk out for three days from today, Health Secretary Steve Barclay has warned. He spoke as the total number of axed operations and appointments stood at more than one million.
The strikes, co-ordinated by the British Medical Association and due to start at 7am today and end on Thursday, mean Christmas Day staffing levels and only emergency patients treated.
Health leaders have warned failure to solve the dispute will jeopardise care and efforts to bring down waiting lists where 7.6 million patients now languish. This week’s action has been timed to coincide with the start of the Conservative Party conference.
In a plea to end the walkouts, Mr Barclay said last night: “Over one million appointments have been rescheduled due to strikes and the BMA’s hardline stance means this number will only continue rising.
“During previous strike action, the BMA has repeatedly refused to permit some junior doctors to deliver essential care where local clinical leaders considered it necessary. This is further putting patients at needless risk.
“I urge unions to end their relentless strike action. Doctors have received a fair and reasonable pay rise, as recommended by the independent pay review body.” Mr Barclay said doctors who started hospital training this year will get a 10.3% pay rise, the average junior medic 8.8% and consultants 6%, with “generous reforms to their pensions”.
The NHS Confederation estimates the bitter dispute has cost £1billion.
NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “Services have had very little time to recover from the previous action.
“To now face an unprecedented three consecutive days of Christmas Day cover will prove extremely challenging, with almost all routine care brought to a near standstill.” BMA chair of council, Professor Philip Banfield, said he was “truly sorry” for the effect on patients and staff. But he added: “We feel forced into this position.
“This is about sounding the alarm to the Government and PM so they get back around the table. The power is in their hands to stop this.”
