NHS chief raises patient safety concerns as strikes enter third day – with more planned for January
Today is the final day of a junior doctor strike, which ends officially at 7am on 23 December.
However, this isn’t the end of planned action, with an unprecedented six days of industrial action set to begin on 3 January 2024.
Ahead of this, an NHS boss has warned that hospital staffing levels seen this week will not be “sustainable” when the longer strike takes place next month.
Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, which is part of the NHS Confederation, has written to the British Medical Association (BMA) raising concerns about patient safety ahead of the new year strikes.
The letter, sent to Professor Philip Banfield, BMA chairman of council, warned January “is probably where there is the greatest pressure on services and teams, each and every year”.
Mr Mortimer wrote: “In a system already facing enormous demand, it is the week that most teams dread as it is likely to be the busiest for emergency care.
“Your joint letter with NHS England makes clear that in relation to the December action that the staff recall and derogations process remains largely the same as the previous strikes.
“This arrangement will not be sustainable in January.”