By Eniola Amadu
Resident doctors in England have commenced strike action as a result of disagreement over pay.
The industrial action which is expected to last for five days marks the 13th strike by doctors since March 2023.
Health leaders have cautioned that the NHS may be forced to cut frontline staff and reduce the number of appointments and operations if the strikes continue.
The representatives of the health trusts – the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers – revealed that the continuous action was putting further strain on already tight budgets.
The representatives further stated that an estimate of £300m was expended during the last industrial action in July.
They warned that patients will face delay in accessing, with many unable to work without the treatment they rely on.
The group further cautioned that the strikes were preventing them from making headway in reducing the waiting list.
Over 54,000 appointments and procedures were rescheduled or cancelled during the past resident doctors’ strike.
The chief executive of the NHS Confederation, Matthew Taylor, stated that “There is no doubt that patients will bear the brunt of this disruption, with tens of thousands of tests, appointments and operations likely to be delayed or cancelled.”
Recognising the human impact, Taylor said: “NHS leaders understand how frustrating this will be for them being left waiting in pain or discomfort, not knowing when their treatment will be rescheduled.”
“With flu already beginning to bite there is a real risk that these strikes will leave the NHS limping into a very difficult winter at a time when it is trying to recover performance and implement vital long-term reforms.”
