Junior doctor strikes cause disruption at York Hospital

Doctors in training – which make up around half of the medical workforce in the NHS – began their 72-hour strike at 7am today (Wednesday, December 20).

In York, appointments and procedures have been postponed due to the strike.

A spokesperson for the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said urgent and emergency treatment would be prioritised during the industrial action.

“The planned junior doctor strike is likely to have an impact, although other doctors, including consultants and other specialist doctors, will still be working,” they said.

“During the industrial action, we will be prioritising urgent and emergency treatment to protect patient safety and ensure those in life-saving emergencies can receive the best possible care. 

“It is vital that people do not put off seeking medical attention and patients can continue to access care from our emergency departments.

“The disruption to staffing means we have postponed some appointments and procedures over the period of industrial 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.”

York Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

The spokesperson advised anyone with an appointment to attend as planned unless they have been contacted to rearrange.

They urged anyone unsure of whether they need hospital treatment to use tools such as NHS 111 online before attending hospital.

“GP practices will continue to be open during the junior doctors’ strike, so please continue to attend your appointment unless you are contacted and told otherwise,” they added.

“For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit the NHS UK website.”

Strikes 'coming at the worst possible time', says NHS chief 

NHS leaders have expressed “disappointment” that talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Government broke down and said that the fresh round of industrial action has come at the “worst possible time” for the health service.

Doctors’ leaders have said that the Government “walked away from talks” after strikes were called, insisting that there is no law or rule which prohibits negotiations from continuing once a walkout has been called.

The BMA’s junior doctors committee challenged the Government to make an offer so strikes could be “cancelled today”.

Conciliation service Acas said it is “ready to help” resolve the dispute.

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Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for the NHS in England, told the PA news agency: “This is coming at the worst possible time of year for us where we are beginning to see those winter pressures that we always see around the festive season, with flu cases and Covid cases on the rise.

“So there is no doubt this is going to be a challenging period and we will see disruption once again.”

Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairman of the BMA junior doctors committee, told the PA news agency that in order to break the deadlock the Government needed to “recognise and value doctors and not inflict a real-terms pay cut”.

Junior doctors are also preparing for the NHS’ longest ever walkout, for six whole days from Wednesday, January 3.