Don’t put off treatment during doctors’ strike, NHS tells patients

Don’t put off treatment during doctors’ strike, NHS tells patients

The NHS has advised patients not to delay essential care as a six-day strike by resident doctors in England begins on Tuesday. This is the 15th walkout in a dispute over pay and job conditions, following failed negotiations at the end of March. NHS managers warned of potential challenges due to the timing, right after a long bank holiday weekend.

Strike Impact and Staff Coverage

Although tens of thousands of doctors will participate in the strike from 07:00 BST on Tuesday until just before 07:00 on Monday, 13 April, senior doctors not involved will remain on duty. Patients are encouraged to attend scheduled appointments unless notified otherwise, with officials emphasizing that services will continue as usual.

“The NHS is still open for business and there are still plenty of people there available to care for you,” said Prof Ramani Moonesinghe, national clinical director for critical and perioperative care at NHS England.

Moonesinghe added that the health service has “tried and tested systems” to maintain operations during industrial action. She urged individuals with emergencies or urgent needs to follow standard procedures, such as calling 111 or 999 for critical care, or visiting A&E if required.

Pay Dispute and Government Response

The British Medical Association (BMA), representing resident doctors, stated the strikes would cause disruption despite assurances of service continuity. Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, noted that while senior doctors will cover shifts, they are also facing similar exhaustion and morale issues.

Government officials, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, described the strikes as “disappointing” but highlighted efforts to protect patients and staff. They pointed to the NHS delivering nearly 95% of planned activities during previous December strikes as evidence of resilience.

Earlier, the government had offered 1,000 additional training places for resident doctors, but this was rescinded after talks collapsed. The Department of Health and Social Care claimed the plan was no longer financially or operationally viable, though it would not reduce the total number of doctors in the NHS.

Pay Rise and Inflation Consideration

Alongside the training places, the government proposed a 3.5% pay increase for all doctors, effective this month. However, the BMA contested this, arguing that even with the raise, resident doctors are still 20% behind 2008 levels when adjusted for inflation. The union uses the Retail Price Index (RPI) to measure inflation, matching the government’s method for calculating student loan interest.

Despite the pay rise, the BMA claimed the progression through the five salary bands was “watered down” in the final agreement. The pay scale starts just below £39,000 and increases to nearly £74,000, but the union believes it fails to account for rising costs adequately.