NHS grinds to a halt as consultants set to strike for two days – this is how it will impact you
Hospital consultants in England are set to strike in a row over pay for the first time in a decade – but what does this mean for patients?
It follows hot on the heels of the longest strike in NHS history, in which junior doctors in England – who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) – walked out last Thursday for five days.
However, junior doctors in Scotland called off their strike after first minister Humza Yousaf said he was prepared to offer the biggest pay rise ‘in the history of devolution’.
So with the consultants’ strike in England set to cause ‘the most severe impact we have ever seen in the NHS as a result of industrial action’, according to Sir Stephen Powis, the National Medical Director of NHS England, what disruption can patients expect?
Here’s what you need to know.
When is the hospital consultants’ strike?
NHS hospital consultants wiill walk out for 48 hours from 7am on Thursday, July 20 until 7am on Saturday, July 22, 2023.
If agreement on a pay rise isn’t reached, this will be followed by another walkout, provisionally set for August 24 and 25.
How will patients be affected?
The strike will be based on ‘Christmas Day levels of care’, according to the BMA.
This means that consultants willl continue to work in urgent and emergency care, including A&E, intensive care, emergency surgery and maternity services.
In cases where there is a risk of serious harm by delaying care – such as urgent palliative and end of life care, dialysis, radiotherapy for cord compression, urgent maternity care, mental health crisis care and critical cancer care – cover will be provided.
But most outpatient appointments and non-urgent operations, such as hip and knee replacements and cataract removals, will be postponed and rescheduled.
Hospital-based dentists will also join the strike.
Routine care will be ‘virtually at a standstill for 48 hours’, according to Sir Stephen.
The impact will be severe because other clinicians can’t step in and cover for consultants, who also supervise junior doctors in-person and remotely.
What should I do?
If you’re due to attend hospital on the day of the strike, and your appointment is affected, the hospital will let you know and rearrange it. This will likely be by text, phone call or letter.
If you haven’t received anything you should attend the appointment as planned.
GP surgeries and pharmacies will remain open, ambulances will not be affected, you can call 111 for medical help and you should still attend A&E departments in the case of serious injuries or life threatening emergencies.
The NHS has guidance on when to go to A&E.
Why are consultants striking?
The industrial action follows the government’s 6% pay offer.
Dr Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair, described it as ‘a savage real terms pay cut.
‘When inflation is running at more than 11%, this is nothing short of insulting. Consultants have always been clear that industrial action is a last resort but in the face of a Government intent on devaluing consultants’ expertise and their lack of regard for the impact this is having on the NHS, we have been left with no choice.
‘We’ve had our pay cut year after year, put our lives on the line during a pandemic and now are managing a record backlog of care.
‘The Prime Minister says cutting these waiting lists is a priority but then undermines his own policy by showing he doesn’t value those charged with delivering it. Cutting pay once again shows the Government’s complete disregard for the profession.’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the deal was the ‘final offer’ and that there will be ‘no more talks on pay’.
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