Three days of NHS strike action last week impacted more than 86,300 appointments

Last week’s latest action saw 86,329 inpatient and outpatient appointments rescheduled

Three days of NHS strike action last week impacted more than 86,000 inpatient and outpatient appointments, according to figures released by NHS England.

Junior doctors took part in a 72-hour stoppage between December 20 and December 23, and are now preparing for the longest strike in NHS history from January 3.

Last week’s latest action saw 86,329 inpatient and outpatient appointments rescheduled. 

It added that the number of appointments cancelled as a result of industrial action in the health service which has been ongoing since December 2022 now stood at 1,219,422.

It takes the number of appointments rescheduled since industrial action in the health service began in December last year above 1.2 million.

NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “This latest round of strike action over the festive period has put an already overloaded heath service under significantly more pressure – three days of strike action, ending two days before Christmas, has seen more than 86,000 more appointments rescheduled for patients needing care.

“As well as having an impact on planned care, industrial action is putting pressure on wider services and prioritising emergency care takes staff away from other areas such as recovering services.

“With another six-day walkout coming in the New Year at what is one of the busiest times for the health service, strike action is once again going to bring significant challenges to the NHS as it struggles to provide for patients amid severe disruption.

“As ever, over the festive period, we encourage people to attend A&E and call 999 in life-threatening emergencies, but to use 111 online for other health needs.”

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