Disruption expected as six-day doctors' strike begins
NHS England said hospital teams across the country will be working to minimise disruption for patients during the walkout
Strikes by resident doctors have cost the taxpayer "at least £3 billion," it has been claimed as the BMA's latest six-day walkout begins.
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The 15th round of walkouts in three years began at 7am on Tuesday, and will last until Monday.
This round of industrial action is expected to cost British taxpayers around £300 million, with The Telegraph claiming the total cost for the long-running dispute has hit at least £3.2 billion.
The British Medical Association (BMA) ordered the walkout after rejecting the Government's latest offer without putting it to a members' vote.
The union is seeking action on training places and a restoration of pay to 2008 levels.
Read More: NHS urges patients to come forward as normal amid ‘difficult’ six-day strike
Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, said: “This Government was prepared to compromise with the BMA, but there’s only so far we can bend before we snap.”
He said the Department of Health and Social Care's latest offer was “a fair deal that many were willing to accept” and told The Telegraph: “Instead, we’re facing strike action timed to cause maximum disruption, at a cost now running into the billions.
NHS England said hospital teams across the country will be working to minimise disruption for patients during the walkout, which is “expected to be particularly challenging” because of a shorter notice period.
The Department of Health and Social Care said last week that an offer of 1,000 extra training places would no longer be “financially or operationally” possible following the BMA's refusal to accept it.
During the six-day action, patients are urged to attend planned appointments unless they have been contacted to reschedule, and those with life-threatening emergencies should still call 999 or attend A&E.
Professor Ramani Moonesinghe, national clinical director for critical and perioperative care at NHS England, said: “Staff across the NHS will be doing everything they can this week to keep patients safe and ensure people can continue to get the care they need,” said Prof Moonesinghe.
“We know this round of industrial action will be difficult, coming straight after the Easter weekend, but patients should come forward as normal and attend any appointments unless they are contacted otherwise.
“The NHS remains open for you this week – as ever, please call 999 or come to A&E in an emergency, and use 111 online first if you need urgent but not life-threatening help.”
Mr Streeting previously said it was "disappointing for patients and staff alike" that the BMA decided to continue with the planned strikes, despite putting a deal to them that he claimed "would have seen resident doctors 35.2 per cent better off, on average, than they were four years ago."
“My attention and that of leaders across the NHS is now on protecting patients and staff by minimising disruption to the health service.
“Thanks to the dedication of talented NHS staff, the health service delivered almost 95% of planned activity during December strikes, and I want to reassure patients that the NHS will be there for you when you need it this time too. My heartfelt thanks go out to all those hard at work this week.”
Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the British Medical Association’s resident doctors committee, said resident doctors “are as keen as (Wes Streeting) is to bring an end to the strikes”.
“The Health Secretary may well be ‘disappointed’ but he is failing to acknowledge a deal was taking shape until his Government quietly watered it down, reducing the money on the table, then stretching what was left over too many years to make it worthwhile,” Dr Fletcher said.
“Resident doctors are as keen as he is to bring an end to the strikes, but his Government needs to put an offer on the table that we can accept and which doesn’t change at the last minute.
"He also needs to stop using our next generation of consultants as a bargaining chip – taking away 1,000 posts when patients and the NHS needs senior doctors for the future.
“We know that strikes bring disruption – despite NHS England’s assurances that it can maintain the vast majority of services running for patients during times of industrial action.
"Many senior doctors will be covering for us and whilst that of course benefits patients, we know they are also exhausted and as demoralised as we are.
“We are willing to bring an end to industrial action, but we are not seeing that willingness from Government so far.”