02 January 2024 , 00:01
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The NHS is braced for the longest strike in its 75-year history with junior doctors set to walkout this week amid a "stand off" with the Tories.
The industrial action lasting six days is planned to begin at 7am on Wednesday until 7am on 9 January - amounting to 144 consecutive hours. NHS England's medical director warned the health service may have to deal with "one of the most difficult starts to the year" it has ever faced.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: "Six consecutive days of industrial action comes at one of our busiest periods - the action will not only have an enormous impact on planned care, but comes on top of a host of seasonal pressures such as Covid, flu, and staff absences due to sickness - all of which is impacting on how patients flow through hospitals.
"Our colleagues across the health service are doing their very best for patients every day with extensive preparations in place, but there's no doubt they are starting 2024 on the back foot - not only will action impact next week, it will continue to have a serious impact in the weeks after as we recover services and deal with additional demand."
On Monday the NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor suggested hopes of the strike being called were fading. He told BBC News: "Unfortunately, I think it is extremely unlikely there will be a resolution.
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"Unfortunately, it feels like there is a stand-off, which is the Government is refusing to enter negotiations unless the junior doctors call off the strike action and the junior doctors are refusing to call off strike action unless the Government commits to investing more money - and that is a pity. These days are going to be very damaging to us."
Mr Taylor added: "Even at this late stage, an intervention could make a difference. It would be important but we will be working on the basis that these strikes - the longest strikes we have ever seen in the NHS - will be starting the day after tomorrow."
Junior doctors, who are members of the British Medical Association, last took strike action just before Christmas as they walked out over three days between 20 and 23 December. The BMA argues that while workload and waiting lists are at record highs, their members' pay has slumped 26% in 15 years.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "We urge the BMA junior doctors Committee to call off their strikes and come back to the negotiating table so we can find a fair and reasonable solution, and so we can all get back to focusing on patients and their care.
"We know how distressing it is for patients who have had appointments and procedures cancelled, and we have provided £800 million to ensure patients continue to receive the highest quality care this winter and ease pressure on hospitals impacted by industrial action. NHS staff are working hard to prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma, and to ensure we prioritise patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery."