NHS bosses putting patients at risk in strike, says BMA

NHS bosses are putting patients at risk of harm in the upcoming doctors’ strike, the British Medical Association says.

The union believes NHS England’s plan to limit the number of routine treatments being cancelled will stretch senior doctors covering for striking resident doctors too thinly.

NHS England has ordered hospitals only to cancel non-urgent care, such as hip and knee operations, in exceptional circumstances.

But BMA deputy leader Dr Emma Runswick told the BBC the plan risked causing a host of last minute cancellations and “at worst could be risk and lead to harm”.

The walkout by resident doctors – the new name for junior doctors – is due to begin at 07:00 BST on Friday.

“Senior doctors cannot physically be in two places at once,” said Dr Runswick.

“We think the vast majority of planned and scheduled care should be shifted.”

During previous strikes in 2023 and 2024 non-urgent work was cancelled in large quantities so senior doctors could provide cover in emergency and urgent services.

This came after NHS England told hospitals that rescheduling bookings and appointments was going to be “sadly essential” to maintain safe care.

At some hospitals up to half of planned care was cancelled.

But this new approach is being overseen by Sir Jim Mackey, who became chief executive of NHS England in the spring after Amanda Pritchard stepped down.

Sources at NHS England said he was determined to minimise the disruption, pointing out that cancelling non-urgent work comes at a risk to patients too.

Dr Runswick also defended the sums being charged by senior doctors for covering resident doctors during the strike. The BMA has suggested consultants charge over £300 an hour for night shifts.

Dr Runswick said sometimes the NHS needed to “incentivise” doctors to provide cover outside their normal work.

The issue of how strike days should be organised has been discussed at meetings between NHS England the BMA over the last week and the union has now formally written to Sir Jim outlining their concerns.

The letter warns staffing is being stretched “far too thinly”.

Prof Meghana Pandit, NHS England‘s co-medical director, said: “The safest thing for patients is for the NHS to maintain as much urgent and planned care as possible during strikes – and we would encourage the BMA to work with us constructively to achieve this in the event industrial action goes ahead.”

It comes as the government and BMA continue talks aimed at averting the strike. Discussions have been ongoing since Thursday.

Resident doctors were awarded an average 5.4% pay rise for this financial year, following a 22% increase over the previous two years.

But the British Medical Association says wages are still around 20% lower in real terms than in 2008 and are demanding “pay restoration”.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has made clear there will be no extra pay this year, but other aspects are thought to be being looked at including students debts, exam fees and working practices.

If the strike is to be called off it is likely to have to be done before Wednesday morning to avoid major disruption. Nearly half of doctors are resident doctors – and two thirds of those are members of the BMA.

Resident doctors took part in 11 separate strikes during 2023 and 2024, leading to the cancellation of hundreds of thousands of outpatient appointments and other hospital procedures.