NHS Weathers Storm as Doctor Strike Turnout Dips
The ongoing industrial action by resident doctors in England has seen its lowest level of participation to date, according to the latest figures from NHS leadership. Sir James Mackey, the NHS chief executive, revealed that the health service is currently operating at 95 per cent of its planned capacity during this five-day walkout.
Signs of Waning Support in Pay Dispute
Formerly known as junior doctors, this cohort of medics began their latest strike at 7am on Friday and are scheduled to return to work on Wednesday. This marks the thirteenth walkout by doctors since March 2023, with the previous strike in July estimated to have cost the health service approximately £300 million.
Sir James Mackey stated there are 'some really encouraging early indications' that support among the ranks appears to be diminishing. He confirmed that fewer resident doctors are striking than in any of the previous twelve rounds of industrial action, though he cautioned against complacency given the challenging work ahead.
Political Fallout and Patient Impact
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has taken a hard line against the strikers, accusing them of 'inflicting pain and misery on patients' and holding them to ransom. The dispute centres on pay demands, with doctors seeking a further 26 per cent pay increase on top of the 28.9 per cent they have already received over the past three years.
In his letter to NHS leaders, Sir James thanked staff for their 'heroic efforts' to maintain services during this challenging period. He wrote: 'It's a genuinely impressive response to everything you've had to contend with,' while acknowledging that turnout varies across different regions of the country.
The impact of these strikes remains significant. During the last resident doctors' strike, more than 54,000 procedures and appointments required cancellation or rescheduling, despite the NHS maintaining 93 per cent of planned activity. Resident doctors constitute approximately half of the medical workforce in the NHS, typically with up to eight years of experience as hospital doctors or three years as GPs.
In a notable development, the BMA agreed to a derogation for maternity services in Nottingham, allowing resident doctors to leave the strike and work when patient safety is at risk. This affected staff on the labour ward at Queen's Medical Centre and City Hospital for shifts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Meanwhile, in what their union claims is the longest walkout in NHS history, 36 phlebotomists in Gloucestershire have been striking for 236 consecutive days. These specialist health workers, who take patients' blood, argue their clinical tasks warrant placement on a higher NHS pay scale, which would mean an additional £1.09 per hour.
Union Unison highlights that regrading the affected workers would cost Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust approximately £60,000 annually - roughly a quarter of chief executive Kevin McNamara's reported £245,000 yearly salary. Their work at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General hospitals is currently being covered by other staff, including nurses on higher pay bands.
