Senior medics in Newcastle said the city's hospitals coped "pretty much without incident" during the first wave of junior doctors' strike action - but worried that the 96-hour strike planned for April could be a "different kettle of fish".
Speaking at a board meeting of the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust last week, executives spoke of the extensive planning that had gone into the three-day strike which took place in March, and which was now going into preparing for the action announced for April 11 to April 15.
The board heard that while there had been some cancelled procedures, some elective operations had still gone ahead. Dame Jackie Daniel - the trust's chief executive - said she wanted to say "a massive thank you" to all who covered for the striking doctors or who was involved in planning. The trust runs the Freeman Hospital and the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
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However, medical director Andy Welch added: "I think the next strikes will be a different kettle of fish. It's four days coming right after the Easter break - and I don't know how much appetite there will be for picking up extra shifts." The top doctor highlighted how the coming strikes come hot on the heels of two Bank Holidays and during the Easter school holidays and this may have an impact on how willing consultants were to cover for junior colleagues.
In his report submitted to the board, he added: "The junior doctors were widely supported by the consultant body, who played an enormous role in ensuring safety for our patients." The trust board heard that 44% of junior doctors did attend work during the action.
Writing in her own online blog, Dame Jackie added: "A huge amount of work went into planning for that and it went pretty much without incident. We managed to continue with a large amount of our elective activity.
"I want to extend that thanks to all our staff. I know that industrial action is disruptive and upsetting for everyone, and it has required everyone to work harder to keep our patients safe. [On Thursday], the BMA announced a second round of junior doctors’ industrial action – a 96-hour walkout from 11 to 15 April – and already we are starting to work through our contingency plans for this.
"I continue to be hopeful that the breakthrough in the pay talks with some unions is a positive sign that we are moving towards an agreement between the Government and Trades Unions overall.."
Last week, Dr Vivek Trivedi and Dr Robert Laurenson, co-chairs of the BMA junior doctor committee, said: “It is with disappointment and great frustration that we must announce this new industrial action.
“The Government has dragged its feet at every opportunity. It has not presented any credible offer and is refusing to accept that there is any case for pay restoration, describing our central ask as ‘unrealistic’ and ‘unreasonable’."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the newly-announced strikes "will risk patient safety and cause further disruption". They added: “Our door remains open to constructive conversations, as we have had with other health unions, to find a realistic way forward which balances rewarding junior doctors for their hard work while being fair to the taxpayer."
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