NHS urges patients to come forward as normal amid ‘difficult’ six-day strike

The NHS is urging patients not to put off seeking the care they need as resident doctors press ahead with “difficult” strike action, which the Health Secretary has branded “disappointing”.

Tens of thousands of resident doctors in England are to stage a six-day walkout on Tuesday, immediately after the Easter weekend.

NHS England said hospital teams across the country will be working to minimise disruption for patients during the walkout, which is “expected to be particularly challenging” because of a shorter notice period.

The strikes are going ahead after the Government took a key part of its offer off the table.

The Department of Health and Social Care said last week that an offer of 1,000 extra training places would no longer be “financially or operationally” possible.

During the six-day action, patients are urged to attend planned appointments unless they have been contacted to reschedule, and those with life-threatening emergencies should still call 999 or attend A&E.

Professor Ramani Moonesinghe, national clinical director for critical and perioperative care at NHS England, said: “Staff across the NHS will be doing everything they can this week to keep patients safe and ensure people can continue to get the care they need,” said Prof Moonesinghe.

“We know this round of industrial action will be difficult, coming straight after the Easter weekend, but patients should come forward as normal and attend any appointments unless they are contacted otherwise.

“The NHS remains open for you this week – as ever, please call 999 or come to A&E in an emergency, and use 111 online first if you need urgent but not life-threatening help.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “It is disappointing for patients and staff alike that the BMA has decided to press ahead with strikes this week, despite the deal we put to them which would have seen resident doctors 35.2% better off, on average, than they were four years ago.

“My attention and that of leaders across the NHS is now on protecting patients and staff by minimising disruption to the health service.

“Thanks to the dedication of talented NHS staff, the health service delivered almost 95% of planned activity during December strikes, and I want to reassure patients that the NHS will be there for you when you need it this time too. My heartfelt thanks go out to all those hard at work this week.”

Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the British Medical Association’s resident doctors committee, said resident doctors “are as keen as (Wes Streeting) is to bring an end to the strikes”.

“The Health Secretary may well be ‘disappointed’ but he is failing to acknowledge a deal was taking shape until his Government quietly watered it down, reducing the money on the table, then stretching what was left over too many years to make it worthwhile,” Dr Fletcher said.

“Resident doctors are as keen as he is to bring an end to the strikes, but his Government needs to put an offer on the table that we can accept and which doesn’t change at the last minute. He also needs to stop using our next generation of consultants as a bargaining chip – taking away 1,000 posts when patients and the NHS needs senior doctors for the future.

“We know that strikes bring disruption – despite NHS England’s assurances that it can maintain the vast majority of services running for patients during times of industrial action. Many senior doctors will be covering for us and whilst that of course benefits patients, we know they are also exhausted and as demoralised as we are.

“We are willing to bring an end to industrial action, but we are not seeing that willingness from Government so far.”