NHS Bosses Fear Strikes Risk Safety Of Patients

Hospital bosses are worried about keeping patients safe overnight this week because of a shortage of consultants available to cover for striking junior doctors.

- Denis Campbell and Aubrey Allegretti

When junior doctors in England staged their first strike in mid-March in their pay dispute with the government, their consultant colleagues covered for them for the three days involved.

However, fewer consultants are available to do the same during this week’s four-day stoppage because it coincides with Easter, Passover and Ramadan and many are off.

NHS Providers, which represents health service trusts, highlighted the difficulty hospital bosses were facing in trying to ensure nightshift medical rotas were fully staffed this week. They aired their concern on the first day of strike action that will severely disrupt NHS services until it ends at 7am on Saturday and, bosses have warned, for many days afterwards. “Getting through today is just the start,” said Miriam Deakin, the head of policy at NHS Providers Trust. “Leaders are worried about securing adequate cover for the night shifts ahead. This is going to be a very long, difficult week for the NHS. Keeping patients as safe as possible, trusts’ No 1 priority, will be even harder than in previous strikes so it’s all hands on deck.”

Other health professionals, including GPs, paramedics and pharmacists, were helping hospitals ensure patients received good care, Deakin added.

One trust chief executive said: “I feel the same as do my MDs [medical directors]. Many of the consultants who stepped up to do nights last time are not available.