Dr Chris Streather, Medical Director for the NHS in London, warned Londoners to “use the NHS wisely” during the strikes.
He told the Standard: “This strike will be more disruptive than any we’ve seen before. People who are really sick should not hesitate to seek emergency treatment, but we would prefer if those with a minor condition go to a pharmacy or call NHS 111.”
A child joins striking NHS junior doctors on the picket line outside Leicester Royal Infirmar
PA
Medical staff in the capital would be “spread more thinly”, he said, meaning that NHS trusts “cannot eliminate risk” to patients.
He added: “The important thing is for patients waiting for critical surgery, such as cardiac or cancer, to report any change in symptoms to 111 or their GP. We will handle those situations as an emergency without hesitation.”
Ministers escalated a war of words with the BMA on Tuesday as Downing Street branded the strike “extremely disappointing”.
A No 10 spokesman said the union’s pay demand “completely out of step with pay settlements in other parts of the public sector” and claimed it would cost £2 billion.
But Dr Emma Runswick, deputy chairwoman of the BMA Council, said the union had heard “absolutely nothing” from Mr Barclay regarding pay negotiations.
She told BBC Breakfast: “None of us want to be on strike here… we’re looking for the Government to move but we will continue, our mandate is incredibly strong.”
Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairman of the BMA’s junior doctors committee, said: “The Government has not even tried to meet us anywhere in the middle, it hasn’t given us a counter-offer at all.”
NHS leaders have urged the Government and the BMA to call in the Acas conciliation service to resolve the deadlock. BMA sources told the Guardian that walkouts could continue until next year, threatening Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge to cut waiting lists for treatment in the next eighteen months.
A four day walkout by junior doctors in England mean patient care may be compromised, say NHS bosses
PA Wire
Dr Simon Steddon, Chief Medical Officer at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust, said he was “very concerned” about the “potential harm” that may be caused to patients by the strike.
“Many people whose appointments or procedures are being cancelled will now have experienced this on multiple occasions, which is incredibly distressing for our patients, and their friends and families. We will do everything in our power to maintain patient safety but the impact of these strikes on patient care will be extensive and on a scale we’ve not seen before.”
Matthew Trainer, chief executive of Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, said he could “not afford to keep cancelling appointments every month” and that the NHS was “moving backwards” while strikes continue.
“For a second month running, we have had to cancel outpatient appointments, diagnostic tests and operations because of strike action. This has affected thousands of patients.
“I would like to apologise to them and to those who will wait longer in future because we need to rebook these delayed appointments.
“I fully understand why our doctors are taking industrial action and I support their right to strike. They are struggling with the impact of student debt, rising costs of living and a big drop in pay, in real terms. We are not doing enough to encourage doctors in training to stay in the NHS.”
He added: “We cannot afford to keep cancelling appointments every month. We have worked incredibly hard to reduce to zero, by the end of March, the number of people waiting more than 18 months for their treatment. This is a brilliant achievement by our Trust.
“Every time there is industrial action, we run the risk of moving backwards. We need to see proper negotiations between the government and unions on junior doctor pay and a suspension of strike action.”
PA
Whittington Health NHS Trust, which runs the Whittington Hospital in Archway, said it had made the “difficult decision” to reschedule all non-emergency procedures and outpatient appointments to ensure enough staff are available to provide emergency care.
Meanwhile, a new poll released by Ipsos found that more than half (54 per cent) of Britons supported junior doctors taking strike action, while a quarter (24 per cent) were opposed.
Ambulance workers, nurses and physiotherapists are currently voting on whether to accept an offer made by the Government in a separate pay dispute.
