The National Health Service is reporting a potential shift in the ongoing junior doctors' dispute as strike turnout shows signs of decreasing during the latest five-day walkout.
Strike Numbers Show Decline
Sir James Mackey, chief executive of the NHS, has revealed encouraging early indications that fewer resident doctors are participating in the current industrial action compared to previous rounds. This marks the 13th walkout by doctors since disputes began in March 2023.
In a letter to NHS leaders on Sunday, Sir James acknowledged that while turnout varies across different regions, the overall trend appears positive. "There are some really encouraging early indications that there have been fewer resident doctors striking than in any of the previous 12 rounds of industrial action," he stated.
Five-Day Walkout Impact
The current junior doctor strike commenced at 7am on Friday 14th November and is scheduled to continue until Wednesday 19th November. Despite the ongoing action, the NHS has managed to maintain at least 95% of planned activity during this period.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has taken a firm stance against the industrial action, accusing striking doctors of "inflicting pain and misery on patients" and holding them to ransom over pay and conditions disputes.
The previous strike in July was estimated to have cost the health service approximately £300 million, highlighting the significant financial impact of these ongoing disputes on the NHS budget.
Patient Safety Measures
Resident doctors, who constitute about half of the medical workforce in the NHS, have up to eight years of experience as hospital doctors or three years as GPs. Their absence during strikes has previously led to substantial service disruptions.
During the last major strike action, more than 54,000 procedures and appointments required cancellation or rescheduling, even though the NHS maintained 93% of planned activity.
Patient safety remains a priority during industrial action, with the BMA agreeing to a derogation for maternity services in Nottingham. This arrangement allows resident doctors working on the labour ward at Queen's Medical Centre and City Hospital to leave the strike for shifts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday when patient safety is at risk.
Sir James praised NHS staff for their "heroic efforts" in maintaining services during the challenging period, while cautioning against complacency as the health service navigates the remaining days of industrial action.
