Planning for the impact of the resident doctor strikes this week ‘has worked’, according to NHS England chief executive, Sir Jim Mackey.
In a message to the health service about the strikes, Sir Jim said the NHS had ‘learned from the last few rounds’ of industrial action that harm was being caused by ‘just prioritising’ urgent and emergency care.
He said: ‘We have all worked hard to avoid that this time, and while there is still some distance to go, the early indications suggest that the planning has worked.’
However, he added that the services have been under ‘real pressure’ and that the BMA had demanded ‘extortionate pay rates’ for doctors that were asked to continue running services during the strike action under patient safety mitigations (PSMs).
He said: ‘We have worked with you to overhaul the process for patient safety mitigations (PSMs), and that has yielded results as well, with nine approved as of Sunday night.
‘Unfortunately, despite all requests being made and verified by senior medics, 18 have been rejected by the BMA, with half of those rejections saying the BMA would support only if extortionate pay rates were offered to striking doctors. We will continue to make the strongest possible case to the BMA for verified PSM requests, so please continue to put them forwards where needed.’
He added: ‘Thankfully, in a number of those cases where PSMs have been turned down, we’ve seen staff – including resident doctors – stepping in to ensure patients get the care they need. Again, that is testament to those colleagues and their dedication to the job.’
The strikes began at 7am on Friday 25 July and will run until 7am tomorrow morning (30 July). Resident doctors voted in favour of strike action earlier this month over pay.
Several ICBs have warned of the disruption the strikes will create in their systems.
North East and North Cumbria chief medical officer, Dr Neil O’Brien, said: ‘People can expect long delays and more disruption to NHS services during this latest period of industrial action. It is even more challenging to plan for this strike action due to staff summer holiday leave, meaning there are fewer staff available to help cover essential services.’
Professor Andrew Rhodes, joint chief medical officer for Surrey Heartlands NHS, agreed that the timing would be a ‘particularly difficult period of action’.
He said: ‘We have well-rehearsed plans in place to manage these periods of disruption, working together across health and care organisations.
‘However, with this strike happening at the start of the school summer holidays, we expect this to be a particularly difficult period of action.’
NHS Kent and Medway’s chief medical officer Kate Langford added: ‘We anticipate, and are planning for, the action to have significant impact on services provided across all areas of the NHS, including our hospitals, accident and emergency departments, primary care (GP practices) and mental health services.’
Professor Craig Harris, chief operating officer at NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), also said the strikes would have a ‘big impact’ on their services.
However, he added: ‘I feel it is important to reassure everyone that the NHS has tried and tested plans in place to mitigate risks to patient safety and manage the disruption caused by industrial action and protect emergency treatment.’
BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Ross Nieuwoudt and Dr Melissa Ryan said: ‘It’s absurd that in a country where the Government says bringing down NHS waiting lists is one of its top priorities, not only is it not prepared to restore doctors’ pay, but it also won’t provide jobs for doctors ready, willing and capable to progress in their careers.
‘With more than six million patients on waiting lists in England, it’s maddening that a third of resident doctors say they cannot get a job. Across the NHS, this means potentially thousands of UK doctors are left in employment limbo when patients desperately need their care.
‘Commitments from the Government to address this don’t go far enough or are too vague to convince us that they understand the gravity of the situation, so we’re making clear that, alongside pay, we are entering a dispute and demanding action so that no UK-trained, capable, doctor is left underemployed in the NHS.’
