YORK Hospital bosses have admitted that more operations and appointments have had to be postponed as the NHS braces for the first ’joint’ strike by consultants and junior doctors in its history.

Thousands of consultants across the country walked out at 7am today in a dispute over pay.

Tomorrow, they will be joined by junior doctors – the first time in the history of the NHS that both senior and junior doctors have been on strike at the same time.

Consultants will be back at work on Thursday, though junior doctors - who have held 19 days of strike action since March - will continue their walk-out on Thursday and Friday.

But both consultants and junior doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) will then again join forces for further joint strikes on October 2, 3 and 4.

York Hospitals bosses say care will still be available at the hospital’s emergency department, and in maternity and critical care, during the strike.

But they have urged patients only to call 999 in a ‘life-threatening’ emergency – and otherwise to call 111 first.

Across the country thousands of operations and appointments have been cancelled as a result of the strikes, with NHS leaders warning that some patients are seeing their appointments rescheduled three times.

But the NHS stresses that Christmas Day-style services will continue to be provided on the joint strike action days, with emergency care the priority.

York Press: Junior doctors on the picket line at York Hospital earlier this yearJunior doctors on the picket line at York Hospital earlier this year (Image: Stephen Lewis)

A spokesperson for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Unfortunately, we have postponed some operations and appointments over the period of strike action, which we will be re-arranging as a priority.

“We appreciate this situation is frustrating for patients affected and apologise for any inconvenience caused. Anyone with an appointment should continue to attend as planned unless they have been contacted to rearrange.”

The spokesperson said urgent and emergency treatment remained its priority.

“Patients can continue to access care from our emergency departments, maternity services and critical services for inpatients,” the spokesperson said. “It is vital that people do not put off seeking care”

However, they also urged patients to think carefully about what level of medical care they needed over the strike period – and to only call 999 in a ‘life-threatening emergency’.

“It is even more important people choose services wisely over this period so that care is available to patients who need it most,” the spokesperson said. “This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and continuing to only use 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.”

The latest strikes come as the Government outlined plans to extend strike laws to ensure doctors and nurses in hospitals provide a minimum level of cover.

The new regulations, which are open to consultation and could come in next year, would mean doctors and nurses have to provide a certain level of cover after being issued with a "work notice" by employers on what is needed to maintain "necessary and safe levels of service".

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said the "regulations would provide a safety net for trusts and an assurance to the public that vital health services will be there when they need them".

He added: "Doctors who started their hospital training this year are receiving a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8%, and consultants are receiving a 6% pay rise alongside generous reforms to their pensions."

The BMA says it has written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Mr Barclay outlining the "key asks" needed to end the pay dispute.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday, Dr Vishal Sharma, the chairman of the BMA consultants' committee, said rather than looking at legislation on minimum service levels, the Government should be "stopping strikes in the first place".

He added: "This has happened because the NHS staff across across the whole sector are really demoralised, they're really burnt out and they've been forced into taking strike action."

He said consultants wanted an above-inflation pay award for this year, which in April was running about 11%.