Senior North East NHS figures have "contingency plans" in place ahead of three days of strike action from junior doctors starting today.
Thousands are set to walk out at hospitals across England and our region, with picket lines set to take place outside hospitals including the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington. NHS bosses have, ahead of the strike action, reiterated their commitment to protecting patients from any impact, but accepted that some planned appointments and procedures will be postponed.
The three-day walkout is the longest single strike the NHS has faced in a winter that has been marked by industrial action from groups including nurses, ambulance service workers and physios. A ballot conducted in January and early February saw 37,000 doctors return ballot papers, with 98% were in favour of strike action.
Ahead of the strike action, Dr Martin Whyte - a registrar in the North East and deputy chair of the British Medical Association's (BMA) northern regional junior doctors committee - told ChronicleLive how colleagues were "fed up and frustrated" that they were being forced into strike action.
He said: "The ballot result has really given us hard data to back up what we already thought - members are really fed up and frustrated with the current situation and want to see change. They are happy that their frustration is to be given a voice. But at the same time there's a sense of being resigned as something they just have to do.
"I spoke to one gynaecology registrar who told me they had returned their ballot, voted yes, and will be going out on strike but wanted to say 'why do we have to be doing this?'"
Dr Whyte said he and his colleagues were dispirited by the Government's attitude and that strike action was a difficult decision, especially given how junior doctors care for their patients.
Ahead of the strikes, senior NHS figures around the region are preparing to mitigate the impact on patients. Dame Jackie Daniel, chief executive of the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, wrote on Friday morning: "During these periods, our first focus will, as ever, be on protecting patients and maintaining as much safe and effective care as possible for them, prioritising those with the most severe illness.
"Our Medical Director Andy Welch and his senior medical team have been working through the likely impact this strike will have across Newcastle Hospitals and putting contingency plans in place with our directorate teams and departments."
She thanked those involved in the planning work. She added: "As always, maintaining safe patient care is our priority. Unfortunately, we will have to reschedule some planned appointments and procedures to allow emergency care to continue to be available and we are contacting patients directly to let them know."
Dame Jackie said that she respected junior doctors' right to strike. She said: "While this is a national pay dispute between doctors and the government, I recognise how difficult – and stressful – it must be for our junior doctor colleagues to consider taking industrial action. I am mindful of their frustrations and respectful of their right to strike."
The Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust also released a statement on the issue. It said: "Patient safety is always our primary concern and we are working extremely hard to prioritise emergency and urgent treatment. Please be assured that we will make every effort to maintain the safety and welfare of patients in our care, however, those attending on the affected days should expect some potential disruption."
Northumbria Healthcare said some planned operations or procedures may need to be rescheduled and patients affected would be contacted in advance.
Dr Neil O'Brien, the executive medical director, for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board said: "Junior doctors are highly valued members of the NHS, providing skilled support to frontline services.
"Whilst the NHS has plans in place to provide a good and safe level of care to patients over this period, some services will be affected. We are urging patients to be mindful of the pressures that the NHS will be under and to use health services considerately by thinking of your local pharmacy for minor ailments and 111 online first so we can keep A&E and 999 for life threatening emergencies."
Dr O'Brien said patients should attend planned appointments unless told otherwise and that postponed appointments would be rearranged "as a priority".
He added: "Emergency and urgent care services will remain open. It is really important that in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or their life is at risk - patients continue to come forward as normal. If someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, please call 999.
"For non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries, use 111.nhs.uk, which is available 24 hours a day, or contact your local community pharmacist or GP practice."
Last week, the Government has been in talks with unions representing other healthcare workers - and while following the strike announcement Health Secretary Steve Barclay met with BMA figures, the union said such talks were a "facade". At the time, Mr Barclay said: "We hugely value the work of junior doctors and it is deeply disappointing union members have voted for strike action.
“As part of a multi-year deal we agreed with the BMA, junior doctors’ pay has increased by a cumulative 8.2% since 2019/20. We also introduced a higher pay band for the most experienced staff and increased rates for night shifts."
But junior doctors want to say pay restored to levels seen more than a decade ago and a rise which accounts for inflation.
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