New documents reveal patient safety concerns over strike day cover

An investigation published by The BMJ today reveals new details of requests to recall striking junior doctors from picket lines for patient safety reasons. 

Documents show that while most trusts in England did not make such requests, those that did were rejected by the BMA in most cases. Some of these trusts warned of potential harm to patients from cancelling operations at the last minute and short staffing, reports assistant news editor Gareth Iacobucci.

However, the BMA said it takes concerns about patient safety “incredibly seriously” and provided The BMJ with summaries of why requests were turned down.

The union’s chair of council Phil Banfield said, “Throughout industrial action we have engaged thoroughly and in good faith with the derogation process, considering each request carefully to ensure that granting a derogation is necessary and the last and only option.”

He said that poor planning by some trusts had led to some routine care being inappropriately booked in on strike days. In other instances, he said trusts had failed to make sufficient effort to draft in the necessary cover for strike days.

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Source: BMJ, 28 March 2024