Junior doctors and consultants are stepping up their industrial action by announcing plans to strike on the same day on dates in September and October.
Healthwatch England has expressed serious concern about the plans and their potential to affect patient safety when both types of doctors take action together. We’ve called on the British Medical Association and government to get back around the table in their long running pay dispute, to avoid yet more cancelled operations and appointments for patients.
The upcoming strike dates are:
- Tuesday 19 September: Consultants will provide only ‘Christmas day’ level of cover for patient care
- Wednesday 20 September: Consultants and junior doctors will take action together, both on the basis of ‘Christmas Day’ level of cover
- Thursday 21 September and Friday 22 September: Junior doctors will hold a full strike (during which consultants would have to step in to cover them, especially emergencies)
- Monday 2 October, Tuesday 3 October and Wednesday 4 October: Consultants and junior doctors will take action together, both on the basis of ‘Christmas Day’ level of cover
More than 940,000 planned procedures or appointments for patients have been affected since various NHS staff began striking last September. We published evidence in July showing the impact of cancellations on patients this year, whether due to strikes or other hold-ups.
