The National Health Service is bracing for a crisis that will extend well into the new year, as a major five-day strike by resident doctors causes widespread disruption, forcing the cancellation of tens of thousands of operations and appointments.
Strike Action Creates Postcode Lottery of Care
The industrial action, which began at 7am today, has seen a starkly varied turnout across the country. Initial reports from the NHS Confederation indicate that in some hospitals, as many as three in four resident doctors reported for duty, leading to sparse picket lines. However, in other areas, union support has been far stronger, with as few as one in five medics working, causing significant disruption.
This uneven impact comes at a time when the NHS is already under immense strain from a record super flu outbreak and mounting winter pressures. Stretched staff are being redeployed to manage emergency admissions, forcing managers to axe more routine care than in previous walkouts.
Patients in Peril as Cancellations Mount
The human cost of the dispute is becoming starkly clear. Shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew revealed that a woman facing cancelled cancer treatment over the five days told him she was "worried for her life". Health leaders warn that the fallout from this week's action will severely hamper efforts to tackle the growing waiting lists, with the effects rippling "all the way into January and beyond", according to Dr Layla McCay of the NHS Confederation.
Each five-day walkout is estimated to cost the NHS approximately £300 million in lost activity and overtime payments to covering consultants. The last strike in November led to 38,961 cancelled appointments. If activity levels drop to 90% of normal during this strike, rather than the 95% target, between 60,000 and 70,000 appointments could be disrupted.
Political Impasse and Calls for Mediation
The strike has ignited fierce political debate. During Prime Minister's Questions, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer branded the action "dangerous and utterly irresponsible", urging doctors not to abandon patients. In response, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of being in the pocket of the trade unions.
The British Medical Association (BMA), which is pursuing a 26 per cent pay rise for its resident doctor members, has marched thousands out on strike. The medics, whose pay has increased by 28.9% over the past three years, have been granted some exemptions; for instance, some have returned to work in the maternity unit at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust due to unique circumstances.
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, described the situation as the "worst kind of Groundhog Day" and called for external mediation to break the deadlock. The conciliation service Acas has confirmed it is prepared to help. Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the situation as "dicey" and expressed concern about exhausted covering staff in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, resident doctors in Wales have voted to accept a new contract, offering a potential path to resolution that has not been found in England.
