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Downing Street has warned a four day strike by NHS doctors in England poses a “huge challenge” and will disrupt thousands of patients\u2019 care.<\/p>\n
Consultants will walk out for 48 hours from Tuesday, with junior colleagues joining them on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Junior doctors, who have staged 19 days of strike action since March, will then continue their strike on Thursday and Friday followed by October 2, 3 and 4.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister\u2019s official spokesman said: \u201cThese co-ordinated strikes will pose a huge challenge for the NHS and for patients, who will see their care significantly disrupted.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The NHS is expected to see a \u201cChristmas Day\u201d level of staffing when both consultants and junior doctors are off, with emergency care taking priority.<\/p>\n
The health service is in \u201cuncharted territory\u201d, with thousands of patient appointments expected to be cancelled, health chief Saffron Cordery warned.<\/span><\/p>\n NHS Providers deputy chief executive said this week\u2019s strike action in England by consultants and junior doctors \u201ccan\u2019t become the status quo\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> Ms Cordery said: \u201cThis \u2018double whammy\u2019 of the first ever joint strikes by senior and junior doctors is the toughest test yet for trust leaders, ramping up pressure on already stretched services.<\/p>\n \u201cEven when consultants go back to work on Thursday, junior doctors will be on strike until Friday with more strikes by both groups and radiographers planned for early October.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re in uncharted territory. It\u2019s all hands on deck in trusts across the country.<\/p>\n \u201cTen months of industrial action have seen almost one million routine appointments and procedures delayed.<\/p>\n \u201cStrikes can\u2019t become the status quo. Only the Government sitting down with the unions can end this disruption.\u201d<\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n The Government has implemented a six per cent pay rise for consultants and six per cent plus a lump sum of \u00a31,250 for junior doctors and has said there will be no further offers.<\/p>\n Meanwhile the British Medical Association has called for \u201cfull pay restoration\u201d back to 2008\/09 levels, saying pay has been eroded over several years.<\/p>\n Health Secretary Steve Barclay was open to discussions about the \u201cnon-pay elements\u201d of the BMA\u2019s concerns but there were no plans to \u201crevisit\u201d the pay deal, the No10 spokesman said.<\/p>\n NHS national medical director professor Sir Stephen Powis said: \u201cThis week\u2019s first ever joint action means almost all planned care will come to a stop, and hundreds of thousands of appointments will be postponed, which is incredibly difficult for patients and their families, and poses an enormous challenge for colleagues across the NHS.<\/p>\n \u201cPatients who have an appointment and who haven\u2019t been contacted should attend as normal.\u201d<\/p>\n The NHS waiting list in England reached a new record high with 7.7 million people \u2013 around one in seven \u2013 waiting for treatment.<\/p>\n
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