What to expect as consultants and junior doctors take part in the biggest strike in NHS history
The NHS is braced for the biggest strike in history, today consultants have walked out and tomorrow, junior doctors will join them as Chloe Keedy reports
Words by Daniel Boal, ITV News Multimedia Producer
Patients are bracing for the biggest strike in the history of the NHS, as junior doctors and consultants walkout at the same time in a first for the health service.
Emergency care will be covered, but planned care is expected to grind to a halt and thousands of appointments cancelled as the walkout enters its second day on Wednesday.
NHS bosses have warned that the health service has “never seen this kind of industrial action in its history” and patients are expected to be severely impacted by the strike.
When are the strike days?
Consultants are walking out in a dispute over pay on Wednesday as well as three days next month - on October 2, 3 and 4.
While junior doctors, who have held 19 days of strike action since March, will walk out on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week, and October 2, 3 and 4.
This means that Wednesday’s strike, plus the three days next month, will see both consultants and junior doctors absent from work on the same days.
What should patients do in an emergency?
People needing emergency care are being advised to use accident-and-emergency units as normal or call 999.
For other health concerns, 111 or GP services should be used - although they could be disrupted, as some junior doctors work as GP trainees.
Routine services, including non-emergency operations and appointments, are expected to be significantly disrupted.
Patients should have been told about any postponements in advance.
What impact are the strikes going to have on the NHS?A Christmas Day-style service will be provided on the joint strike action days, with emergency care taking priority.
Almost all planned care is expected to be affected as the first ever joint strike by consultants and junior doctors takes place.
This is the 10th month of industrial action across the NHS, which has seen more than 885,000 inpatient and outpatient appointments rescheduled.
Previous industrial action by consultants last month saw 45,800 appointments disrupted and around 6,000 staff off per day due to the industrial action.
NHS national medical director professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “The NHS has simply never seen this kind of industrial action in its history.
"This week’s first ever joint action means almost all planned care will come to a stop, and hundreds of thousands of appointments will be postponed, which is incredibly difficult for patients and their families, and poses an enormous challenge for colleagues across the NHS."
What care can you receive while doctors strike?
Thousands of operations and appointments have been cancelled as a result of the strikes, with NHS leaders warning that some patients are seeing their appointments rescheduled three times.
Currently, NHS bosses have advised that due to the extensive industrial action, members of the public should continue to use the health service as they normally would - using 999 and A&E in life threatening situations and using 111 online for other health concerns.
GPs and pharmacies can be used by the public for health advice and appointments as normal.
The NHS Confederation, which represents all NHS organisations, said increasing numbers of patients, including cancer patients, are seeing their appointments rescheduled more than once due to strikes.
Professor Phil Banfield, chairman of the BMA council, said that planned strike action would preserve minimum staffing levels and consultants and junior doctors would not stage a “full walk-out”.
What has the government said?
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “This week’s co-ordinated and calculated strike action will create further disruption and misery for patients and NHS colleagues.
“My top priority is to protect patients and these regulations would provide a safety net for trusts and an assurance to the public that vital health services will be there when they need them.
“Doctors who started their hospital training this year are receiving a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8%, and consultants are receiving a 6% pay rise alongside generous reforms to their pensions, which was the BMA’s (British Medical Association’s) number one ask.
“In the face of ongoing and escalating strike action, we will continue to take steps to protect patient safety and ensure the health service has the staff it needs to operate safely and effectively.”
Could the government force NHS staff back into work?
The government has outlined plans to extend strike laws to ensure doctors and nurses in hospitals provide a minimum level of cover.
The new regulations, which are open to consultation and could come in next year, would mean doctors and nurses have to provide a certain level of cover after being issued with a “work notice” by employers on what is needed to maintain “necessary and safe levels of service”.
Consultations on minimum service levels have already run for ambulance staff, fire and rescue services and passenger rail workers, after the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act became law.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay says that while the government recognises people's right to strike, it also needs to prioritise 'time-critical' patient care
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said the “regulations would provide a safety net for trusts and an assurance to the public that vital health services will be there when they need them”.
He added: “Doctors who started their hospital training this year are receiving a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8%, and consultants are receiving a 6% pay rise alongside generous reforms to their pensions, which was the BMA’s (British Medical Association’s) number one ask.
“In the face of ongoing and escalating strike action, we will continue to take steps to protect patient safety and ensure the health service has the staff it needs to operate safely and effectively.”
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