NHS boss warns of ‘short notice’ risks after five-day junior doctor walkout next week is cancelled
Further action is scheduled to go ahead in October, November and December in row over new contracts
NHS chief Simon Stevens intervened in the junior doctors’ strike for the first time and warned of risks to patients.
He said no amount of notice from the British Medical Association would allow bosses to prepare for severe action.
The union abandoned plans for a five-day walkout next week after giving health officials just 12 days’ notice.
But further industrial action is set to go ahead in October, November and December in a dispute over new contracts.
Mr Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said the knock-on effect of five-day strikes for patients will be “far greater” than previous, shorter walkouts.
He said: “We did say to the BMA that the notice period for action next week was entirely inadequate based on what our hospitals were telling us.
“But we should be in no doubt it will not be possible to ensure there will be no harm to patients, even with several weeks’ notice, if we are talking about multiple weeks of up to 50,000 doctors not being available for emergency care.”
The BMA and Government agreed a new contract in July after many months of negotiation, but it was rejected by members in July.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the contract would be imposed regardless.
The union’s general council last week authorised a series of strikes despite an internal poll showing just four per cent of junior doctors wanted the five-day walkouts.
Authorities have warned striking medics that they may be struck off or their career progression harmed by taking too many days off.
A BMA spokeswoman said it had agreed protocols with NHS England to “ensure patient safety is a priority” during industrial action.
She said: “Future action is still avoidable. Ending this dispute is squarely in the Government’s hands.”
Last night an insider claimed the BMA is supporting junior doctors as they fear they could form a breakaway union if opposed.
GROUPS' GRADINGS
HEALTH bodies are to be given Ofsted-style ratings, highlighting UK variations in care quality.
They will identify the Clinical Commissioning Groups meeting national standards and those that require improvement.
Dementia, diabetes and learning disabilities have been graded with a colour-coded system already.
Cancer, mental health and maternity ratings follow later this year.
Almost six in ten of England’s 209 CCGs do not meet national standards for dementia.
Jeremy Hughes, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “People in York should get the same support as those in Bradford.”
ROT JIBE FROM MP
THE NHS faces a “challenging” financial future, the senior official at the Department of Health told MPs yesterday.
Chris Wormald was grilled after his department stayed in budget only thanks to a surprise £417million pot of National Insurance money.
Public Accounts Committee chairwoman Meg Hillier told him the accounts had “wafer-thin margins” with a series of “short-term fixes.”
She added: “These are rotten, aren’t they?”
Mr Wormald accepted it was “not a sustainable way forward” but meeting future demands was a “big challenge.”