NHS England Prepares for Five-Day Strike by Resident Doctors Amid Calls for Public to Keep Coming Forward for Care

Strategic Insights -

Public health services are being urged to continue as usual despite the five-day strike by resident doctors, with NHS England stating that hospitals and local teams have been preparing and have plans in place to minimize disruption to patient care and ensure life-saving care continues. Thousands of resident doctors are expected to join the strike, which is the 12th since March 2023. Despite calls by the British Medical Association (BMA) to cancel routine operations and appointments, NHS England has urged hospital leaders to keep them going if possible, citing only cancellations in cases where there is a risk to patient safety.

Key Takeaways:

  • The five-day strike by resident doctors, which begins at 7am on Friday, is expected to impact thousands of appointments and operations.
  • NHS England has prepared hospitals and local teams to minimize disruption to patient care and ensure life-saving care continues.
  • The BMA has called for the cancellation of routine operations and appointments to ensure patient safety.
  • NHS England has urged hospital leaders to keep routine operations and appointments going if possible, citing only cancellations in cases where there is a risk to patient safety.
  • GP surgeries will open as usual, and urgent care and A&E will continue to be available for those who need them.
  • The public is being urged to use 111 online as the first port of call for urgent but not life-threatening issues.
  • A strike in June 2023 led to 61,989 inpatient and outpatient appointments being rescheduled.
  • Since the end of 2022, almost 1.5 million appointments have been rescheduled as a result of industrial action.
  • The BMA said talks with the Government aimed at averting the strike had collapsed over the core issue of pay.
  • The public's support for the strike is waning, with a YouGov poll showing just 34% of adults surveyed support the strike over pay.
  • YouGov said the proportion supporting the strike over pay has dropped five points since it last asked the question in May.

Statistics:

  • The five-day strike by resident doctors begins at 7am on Friday.
  • Thousands of resident doctors are expected to join the strike.
  • 61,989 inpatient and outpatient appointments were rescheduled due to a strike in June 2023.
  • Almost 1.5 million appointments have been rescheduled as a result of industrial action since the end of 2022.
  • 34% of adults surveyed by YouGov support the strike over pay.
  • 20% of adults surveyed by YouGov somewhat oppose resident doctors going on strike over pay, while 32% strongly oppose.

Sources:

  • NHS England
  • The British Medical Association (BMA)
  • YouGov
  • Health Secretary Wes Streeting
  • Dr Tom Dolphin, BMA council chairman
  • Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, co-chairs of the BMA's resident doctors committee