Official figures are expected to reveal that more than one million appointments have been cancelled due to ongoing doctors’ strikes.
The strikes, which saw junior doctors and consultants join forces for the first time last week, have been a culmination of industrial action that began last December.
NHS Providers, an organisation representing health managers, anticipates that the total number of cancelled appointments, set to be released today, will exceed one million over a nine-month period.
Junior doctors are demanding a substantial 35% pay increase and have expressed their intent to continue striking until they receive a “credible” pay offer from the government. Meanwhile, consultants are asking for an 11% pay rise, which exceeds the rate of inflation.
The government, however, has firmly stated that it has concluded discussions regarding doctors’ pay. Government ministers have criticised the doctors’ union for what they perceive as “militant” behavior.
Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, expressed concern about the impact of these strikes on patients, stating, “The immediate concern has to be with patients – more than a million and counting – whose care or treatment has been delayed. Trust leaders understand only too well the distress this can bring them and their loved ones.”
Cordery also highlighted that the rising disruption figures only tell part of the story. Many procedures and appointments are rescheduled, impacting thousands more patients, as trusts often do not schedule care for days with known strike actions in advance. Each delay has real human consequences, and Cordery questioned how many more reasons are needed for an end to the dispute.
As winter approaches and healthcare resources become increasingly strained, strikes are expected to impose a “wholly unwelcome” burden on the NHS.
To mitigate the impact of these strikes, the government is considering plans to enforce a minimum service level during industrial action, which could require some doctors to continue working.
Professor Phil Banfield, council chairman of the BMA, expressed regret over the disruption caused by the strikes but said that the action was crucial for the long-term sustainability of the NHS and placed the responsibility on the government, stating, “It is the Government that chooses not to acknowledge the cost and value of medical care – it is in their hands to safeguard the retention and recruitment of doctors in the NHS for years to come.”
Further joint strikes by consultants and junior doctors are scheduled for October 2, 3, and 4.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The co-ordinated action next week will create further unacceptable disruption for patients and fellow NHS staff.
“We accepted the independent pay review body’s recommendations in full, meaning doctors who started their hospital training this year are receiving a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8%. Consultants are receiving a 6% pay rise and are already in the top 2% of earners in the country.
“This pay award is final, and the majority of unions representing over one million other NHS workers have accepted our offer and called off further strike action.”
