Senior doctors slam junior doctors’ strike

Ann Stringer, executive director of human resources and organisational development at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Like every NHS organisation, we have tried and tested plans to deal with a range of disruptions, including industrial action”.

The doctors were also accused by senior medics of staging “unforgiveable” strikes which were “disproportionate” to their contract row.

100,000 operations are set to be cancelled with 1 million appointments postponed.

JUNIOR doctors defended stepping up their strike action yesterday against the hated seven-day contract being forced on them by NHS wrecker and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

“Five days of strike action, particularly at such short notice, will cause real problems for patients, the service and the profession”.

A statement from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said: “We know there are genuine concerns about the contract and working arrangements, but we do not consider the proposed strikes are proportionate”.

Ms Allan said: “The proposed strike by junior doctors will cause untold misery for patients who are going to see appointments and surgeries cancelled”.

“We are acutely aware that the NHS is under extreme pressure at the moment”.

A hospital spokesman said: “We are now putting in place plans to ensure we provide a safe service for our patients throughout the strike, including anyone who needs emergency or urgent care”.

Chief executive Katherine Murphy said: “This is a devastating blow to patients, and a destructive next step as far as any kind of negotiations go”.

The media attacks include exaggerating alleged “divisions” in the medical profession over the justification for strikes.

Junior doctors will stage full strikes from September 12 to 16, then on October 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11, November 14 to 18, and December 5 to 9 in their ongoing dispute over a controversial new contract.

On Thursday union leaders chose to go ahead with full walkouts between 8am and 5pm on 5-7 October, 10-11 October; 14-18 November; and 5-9 December.

The Government and BMA remain at loggerheads over the contract, which the Department for Health says will provide a seven-day NHS.

But doctors say the contracts, due to be imposed in weeks, will jeopardise patient safety because doctors will have to work more hours.

It comes amid fears that hundreds of thousands of operations across Britain are at risk in what has been described as an “unforgivable” wave of strikes by junior doctors have been raised by health professionals.

Some 51% said Theresa May was wrong to reappoint Mr Hunt as Health Secretary when she became Prime Minister.

BMA chairman Dr Mark Porter said: “I have to say it beggars belief that we can be accused of playing politics in this when the stated reason of the government proceeding is that it was in their party manifesto”.