The British Medical Association (BMA) has vehemently rejected the National Health Service (NHS) figures concerning the recent doctor strikes, challenging claims that only a minority of resident doctors participated and that most planned procedures proceeded without disruption.
NHS England had previously asserted a significant success in maintaining patient care, estimating an additional 10,000 patients were seen compared to the previous year’s industrial action, with 93% of scheduled operations and procedures going ahead as planned. Health Secretary Wes Streeting lauded these figures, urging a definitive end to the ongoing “cycle of disruption.”
However, the BMA quickly countered these assertions, arguing that the intricate nature of doctors’ work schedules, coupled with widespread paid leave during the period, rendered it “almost impossible to know” the precise number of participants in the five-day strike action. The union awaited fuller, substantiated data from NHS England to validate its own analysis.
At the heart of this increasingly bitter dispute are resident doctors’ demands for a substantial 29% pay rise, a figure the government has steadfastly refused to negotiate upon, escalating the rhetoric between the medical union and the Department of Health.
Streeting, thanking working doctors for their dedication, stated that a majority of resident doctors did not vote for strike action and that data supported low participation, urging the BMA to engage in good-faith discussions to improve working lives rather than pursuing further “reckless strike action.”
The BMA vehemently dismissed NHS England’s premise that the majority chose to “join the NHS-wide effort,” highlighting the impracticality of accurately tracking 77,000 resident doctors due to complex on-call schedules, varied work patterns, and the strike spanning a weekend. They further noted that many doctors were on annual leave, which would not register as striking, calling for robust data to substantiate the NHS’s claims.
Despite the national dispute, some NHS trusts reported minimal disruption, with West Hertfordshire teaching hospitals trust completing 98% of its planned activity, and University College London hospitals trust and Northumbria healthcare foundation trust both achieving 95% of their scheduled work.
James Mackey, the NHS chief executive, acknowledged that while some services were maintained, thousands of patients still faced disrupted care. He deemed any repeated strike action “unacceptable” and implored the resident doctors committee to return to the negotiating table to find a resolution.
NHS Providers, representing hospital trusts, underscored the severe toll the stoppage took on services and expressed significant concern over the potential for broader industrial action within the health service. Deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery emphasized that the dispute “can’t drag on,” hoping upcoming talks would lead to an end to disruptive strikes, which primarily penalize patients.
