Fears more doctors’ strikes in England will push NHS ‘close to breaking point’

Hospital bosses fear that further strikes by doctors will push the NHS “close to breaking point” as it struggles to cope with its winter crisis in the months ahead.

NHS leaders are concerned that medics’ plans to continue their campaign of stoppages until February will make it even harder for the service to manage what is always its toughest period.

Four days of strikes this week in England have included the first-ever 24-hour joint strike over pay on Wednesday by consultants and junior doctors. This latest series of stoppages – two days by consultants and three days by junior doctors – has forced hospitals to reschedule many thousands of outpatient appointments and non-urgent operations because of the lack of staff.

“Winter pressures, respiratory illness and rising Covid again mean that the next six months will be exceptionally difficult. Winter always is,” said one hospital trust chief executive, who asked not to be named.

“The NHS is effective at absorbing pressure but the industrial action may, at times, take us close to breaking point and often patient harm and the impact on NHS staff is not fully recognised,” he said.

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Source: The Guardian, 20 September 2023