GP surgeries are suspending routine patient appointments as the public are urged to “think twice before going to the emergency room” this week amid fears the four-day strike could be the “most disruptive strike we’ve seen in the history of the NHS has seen” will be. it was reported last night.
Some NHS managers are also offering GPs thousands of pounds a day – or £200 an hour – to cover emergency doctors striking from 7am on Tuesday.
The strikes, which will involve up to 47,600 medics in a bid for a 35 per cent pay rise, are believed to “completely overwhelm” the health service. This is believed to be because workers who came in earlier to cover shifts may have taken annual leave during the Easter holidays.
Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, urged the public to “think twice before going to the emergency room” amid fears that staff will be unable to cope during the junior doctors’ strike.
Some NHS managers are offering GPs thousands of pounds a day – or £200 an hour – to cover striking doctors
NHS England national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis, who warned four days of junior doctor strikes next week, would cause “unprecedented disruption”.
GP practices across the country have told their patients to expect a break in care, The Telegraph reported. Granville House Medical Center in Chorley said patient appointments were being managed daily, while the Bacon Lane surgery in Edgware said urgent services were being prioritised. St Austell Health Center in Cornwall began suspending appointments more than a week before the strike began, on March 31.
And the strikes could be lucrative for individual doctors, according to WhatsApp messages shared on Twitter. Services were offered at £150 an hour during the day, rising to £200 at night. Hospitals seeking coverage included several major London hospitals, including Chelsea and Westminster, St Mary’s and West Middlesex.
While emergency care will be a “priority” during the campaign, the public is urged to use the services “wisely”.
“For example, there will be extra pressure on emergency rooms because there are fewer staff there,” Sir Stephen told Times Radio.
“We ask the audience to think twice before you go. Of course, if it is a serious illness, you should go – this is a very important message.
“But use other services where available, such as pharmacies. Our priority is patient safety. But, as said, services will be vulnerable and we will see many disruptions.
“And unfortunately a lot of delays in agreements and procedures.”
A three-day strike by junior doctors last month led to the cancellation of 175,000 appointments and operations, with up to 29,243 staff absent on each of the three days.
More than a quarter of a million cancellations are expected this week, including in some cases cancer services.
“I think this will be the most disruptive strike we have seen in the history of the NHS,” added Sir Stephen.
“Services will be vulnerable this week as a significant proportion of the workforce is likely to be absent.”
The strike starts at 07:00 tomorrow and will end at 07:00 on Saturday 15 April in the widest action to date.
More than a quarter of a million cancellations are expected this week, in some cases including cancer treatments (file photo)
Yesterday, Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the move was “militant” and timed to cause maximum disruption.
“Unfortunately, the decision by the British Medical Association’s junior doctors to maintain an unrealistic position meant that we could not continue with talks,” the minister wrote in The Sunday Telegraph.
He added: “It appears they intend to take a militant stance rather than work with the government and NHS management to serve the best interests of their members and patients.”
Mr Barclay said significant disruption was “inevitable” and he feared the strike would pose a “significant risk to patient safety”.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said the BMA’s wage demand was “completely unreasonable and unaffordable” and urged the union to come to the table with a “realistic approach”.
He added: “We are working with NHS England to put contingency plans in place to protect patient safety. The NHS will prioritize resources to protect emergency treatments, critical care, newborn care and trauma.”
NHS England said in a statement yesterday that appointments and operations would only be canceled “where unavoidable” and patients would be offered alternative appointments as soon as possible.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
