Don’t put off treatment during doctors’ strike, NHS tells patients
Don’t Delay Care Amid Doctors’ Strike, NHS Advises Patients
The National Health Service (NHS) urged individuals to proceed with necessary medical attention despite a six-day walkout by resident doctors in England starting on Tuesday. This marks the 15th instance of such industrial action, driven by disagreements over compensation and career prospects. NHS leaders expressed concern that the timing, following a lengthy bank holiday, might lead to increased patient demand, which they described as potentially “especially difficult” to manage.
Healthcare Continuity During the Strike
Officials clarified that senior doctors and those not participating in the walkout will remain on duty. Patients are encouraged to keep their scheduled appointments unless notified of delays. The strike, involving tens of thousands of doctors, will run from 07:00 BST on Tuesday until just before 07:00 on Monday, April 13.
“The strikes are ‘disappointing,’ but our focus is on safeguarding patients and staff by keeping disruptions to a minimum,” stated Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
He highlighted that the NHS managed to fulfill nearly 95% of its planned activities during previous strikes in December. However, the British Medical Association (BMA) emphasized that the current action would still cause “disruption,” even with assurances of service continuity.
Reasons Behind the Dispute
Dr. Jack Fletcher, head of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, noted that while senior doctors are covering shifts, they too face exhaustion and shared the same sense of demoralization. NHS England’s national clinical director, Prof. Ramani Moonesinghe, assured that “established systems” would ensure service stability during the strike. She advised patients to follow their usual procedures: contacting 111 or 999 for emergencies, visiting A&E, or consulting GPs or pharmacies for less urgent matters.
Resident doctors, who constitute almost half of NHS staff, are predominantly BMA members. The strike was announced after negotiations to end the ongoing pay dispute collapsed in late March. The government had previously agreed to provide 1,000 additional training spots, but later revoked that part of the offer, citing financial and operational constraints. This change does not reduce the total number of doctors in the NHS, as the positions will transition from temporary roles to permanent ones.
Pay and Inflation Disagreement
Alongside the training places, the government had also promised to cover certain expenses, like exam fees, and accelerate pay increases across five salary tiers. The pay bands range from just under £39,000 to nearly £74,000. However, the BMA ended talks, criticizing the “dilution” of the pay progression terms at the last moment. The union pointed out that the government had accepted an independent review’s recommendation for a 3.5% raise, which, while increasing resident doctor salaries by a third over four years, still leaves them 20% behind 2008 levels when adjusted for inflation.
The BMA uses the Retail Price Index (RPI) to calculate inflation, a measure higher than the government’s alternative. They argue this reflects the true cost of living for medical professionals, particularly given the government’s reliance on RPI for student loan interest calculations.
