Trusts urge end to strikes to avoid more patients being ‘punished’

Responding to news that 93% of planned operations, tests and procedures went ahead during a five-day walkout across England NHS by resident doctors, Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive, NHS Providers, said:

“Even though trusts cancelled fewer appointments than before, the strike still took its toll on patients and an already stretched NHS. The costly strike meant disruption and disappointment for thousands of people waiting for operations, scans and other care.

"NHS trust leaders want to be putting all of their time and energy into improving services instead of dealing with strikes which set back hard-won progress in cutting waiting lists. 

“This dispute can't drag on. The union says resident doctors want this to be their last strike. With talks due to resume, let’s hope so. Bringing disruptive strikes - where the only people being punished are patients - to an end must be a priority.

“We’re concerned, as trusts worked hard to minimise disruption and to keep patients safe during the resident doctors’ strike, by the threat of wider industrial action in the NHS.”