Trainee doctors could go on strike for a week next month, adding pressure to hospitals already at risk of being “overwhelmed” by the four-day strike starting Tuesday.
The senior adviser said the escalation was “the only option available” unless the government and the British Medical Association (BMA) entered into negotiations that would put the pay dispute on hold.
Up to 60,000 medics will be on strike for 96 hours from 7 a.m. Tuesday, just after the Easter holidays, with no emergency supplies. Emergency rooms, obstetrics and cancer care are expected to be significantly affected as many consultants resigned last month to replace striking colleagues who are now on annual leave.
Several young doctors I said week-long strikes were “almost inevitable” if the standoff continues after three days of strikes in March and four days of strikes next week.
Nick Scriven, a Yorkshire consultant and former president of the Society for Emergency Medicine, told me: I: “Unfortunately, as with virtually every scenario of such union action, where the employer is unwilling to negotiate, the only option available is escalation. In view of the huge mandate, young doctors and their representatives have practically no alternative.
“Further action will place a significant strain on services and electoral work will need to be postponed to ensure safe emergency and electoral assistance while keeping in mind the ‘welfare’ of the remaining staff who will burn out quickly as they work effectively and take responsibility. . work and team work.
On Friday, young medical leaders issued a new call for consultations with the government to prevent strikes next week that are expected to result in 250,000 appointments and the postponement of non-urgent surgeries. According to the BMA, Health Secretary Steve Barclay had more than 24 hours and more than six months in total to come up with a credible proposal that would allow the strike to be suspended next week.
On Wednesday, the doctors’ union received a letter from the minister saying it was serious about “solving this dispute quickly.” In response, the BMA said the credible offer suggested Mr Barclay was “really serious” about a wage restoration and was willing to negotiate to fix 15 years of “wage erosion” that could stop strikes.
BMA Young Doctors Committee Co-Chairs Dr. Vivek Trivedi et al. Rob Laurenson said: “Mr. Barclay’s approach is not quick. Even at this late stage, we are ready to consider any Cabinet proposal which, if credible, could mean that the strike will be suspended, and we urge it to do so.”
The BMA is campaigning for a wage restoration and says junior physician wages have fallen 26.1 percent in real terms since 2008. Achieving the target would require a 35.3 percent pay increase. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSC) said the BMA’s request was “unreasonably and prohibitively expensive” and urged the union to take a “realistic approach”.
A spokesman said: “We are working with NHS England to develop contingency plans to protect patient safety. The NHS will prioritize resources to protect emergency care, intensive care, neonatal care and trauma.”
Asked about the weeks of strikes, a BMA spokesman said the union was still urging the health minister to come to the negotiating table to prevent strikes next week and that it was too early to talk about a future strategy.
Health officials have warned that patient care is “state of the art” ahead of the strikes and said they are working “at full speed” to ensure emergency care and other rescue efforts continue safely.
Saffron Corderi, deputy director of NHS Providers, said that while trust leaders will be “doing everything they can to mitigate the significant risk to patients from next week’s strike,” the times have been “incredibly difficult for frontline services.”
She said: “Resources are being channeled into emergency care, resuscitation and crisis care to keep patients safe. This means that in many cases routine procedures and agreements are delayed. During the latest round of strikes, consultants provided cover for trainee doctors. However, we know that willingness to do so and availability drops dramatically due to the holidays.
“Preparing and conducting a strike is extremely time-consuming and costly. Foundations cannot sustain this for longer without increasing waiting lists and access times, and undermining the quality and safety of care.”
Other consultants will refuse to cover
Senior doctors fear the government is adopting a “divide and conquer” strategy when it comes to wage disputes with NHS consultants and junior doctors. The British Medical Association (BMA) said this week that hospital consultants’ plans to vote for union action have been put on hold for about a month after “constructive talks” with the Treasury.
However, Mr. Barclay has made it clear that the BMA’s demand for a 35 percent pay rise ahead of next week’s 96-hour junior doctors’ strike, which is sure to take place, is prohibitive.
Dr. Scriven said: “It is interesting to hear that Mr. Barclay seems to have suggested enough to the BMA to reject the choice of advisers, but does not appear to be willing to comment on our ‘junior’ colleagues. He may think that consultants are indispensable, but this other work is somehow offset by the high financial (for funds) and personal (patients and staff) costs.
“I think communication needs to be a lot more realistic because it seems like the media is downplaying the impact, perhaps to allay concerns, but Trust and NHS are saying ‘It’s okay, we’ll be fine’ and ‘Some services may be affected. “. ‘ is doing workers a disservice. I think trusts and NHS leaders need to put pressure on politicians to actually support meaningful negotiations.”
Thousands of consultants offered coverage during the latest young doctors strike in March, but health leaders don’t expect a repeat as many consultants have either taken their annual holiday leave or are rather reluctant to report it.
The director of the hospital said: “Where the consultants were last, they accumulated time instead. In addition, the next strike will be at Easter, when many consultants have gone on annual leave. All this affects the waiting list for the elections.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.