More than 67,000 hospital appointments cancelled as a result of strike by consultants
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ore than 67,000 hospital appointments and procedures in England have been cancelled as a result of current strike by consultants, figures present.
Some 65,557 inpatient and outpatient appointments needed to be rescheduled because of the economic motion that befell from July 20 to 22.
An additional 1,474 psychological well being and studying incapacity appointments have been rescheduled, together with 731 appointments at neighborhood hospitals, which means a complete of 67,762 appointments didn’t happen.
The figures are more likely to underestimate the true scale of disruption as not all NHS trusts have been capable of provide information for publication by NHS England.
The strike was staged by members of the British Medical Association (BMA) over ranges of pay, and was the primary walkout by consultants in nearly 50 years.
The variety of inpatient and outpatient hospital appointments cancelled for the reason that present spell of business motion started in December is 764,370.
Together with cancellations in psychological well being, studying incapacity and neighborhood settings, the general cumulative complete is slightly below 820,000.
A second strike in England by consultants is because of happen on August 24 and 25.
Meanwhile, radiographers at 37 NHS trusts in England will start a 48-hour strike at 8am on Tuesday in a separate dispute over pay.
Junior well being minister Will Quince mentioned it was “disappointing that thousands of appointments and procedures had to be postponed over the last week as a result of consultants strike action, hindering efforts to cut NHS waiting lists and impacting on patient care”.
“As recommended by the independent pay review body, we are giving consultants a 6% pay rise this year, on top of last year’s 4.5% increase – meaning their average NHS earnings will increase to £134,000 a year. We have also reformed pension tax rules in response to calls from the BMA, meaning consultants can increase their tax-free pension savings to £60,000 a year.
“We are willing to discuss non-pay issues, but this pay award is final so I urge the BMA to end this needless disruption and call off its strikes in August.”
Keeping sufferers secure is the primary precedence for trusts and they’ll hold pulling out all of the stops to minimise disruption. But each strike is making the job more durable and dearer to supply cowl
Miriam Deakin, director of coverage and technique at NHS Providers, urged either side to “sit down and talk” as she warned that the well being service “can’t go on like this”.
“More than 820,000 routine treatments and appointments have had to be put back due to industrial action right across hospital, ambulance, mental health and community services since December.
“That massive number will jump when consultants strike again next month and a two-day strike by radiographers at some trusts this week will add to the disruption for the NHS and patients.
“Every strike has a knock-on effect with tens of thousands more appointments having to be rescheduled too.
“Trust leaders understand the strength of feeling among striking staff. Eight straight months of industrial action will have a long-lasting effect on already low morale and hinder efforts to cut waiting lists – a Government priority.
“Keeping patients safe is the number one priority for trusts and they will keep pulling out all the stops to minimise disruption. But every strike is making the job harder and more expensive to provide cover.”