Recent strike by junior doctors led to 175,000 cancellations

Latest figures have revealed that over 175,000 patient appointments and procedures had to be cancelled in England when junior doctors went on their recent strike, making it the most disruptive NHS strike yet this winter.

Tens of thousands of medics took part in the 72-hour strike, with more senior hospital colleagues asked to cover.  While emergency care was provided by consultants during the strike, many planned, non-urgent treatments had to be rescheduled.

Prof Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical director, said “Despite the huge efforts that NHS staff made to keep patients safe and minimise disruption, this strike was on an unprecedented scale and had a greater impact than all the other industrial action we have seen so far this winter combined.

“Over 175,000 appointments and procedures were rescheduled to protect emergency, critical and urgent care for patients, which will inevitably impact on efforts to tackle the Covid backlog.”

Some of the delayed appointments and procedures will include knee and hip replacement procedures, as well as routine checks for patients with conditions such as cancer and diabetes.

The NHS has been attempting to tackle a backlog made worse by Covid and there are still 7.2 million people on waiting lists for treatment in England.

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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