Wes Streeting has said "we are doing everything we can to minimise" patient harm as thousands of doctors go on strike over pay. A five-day walkout by resident doctors in England is under way, with members of the British Medical Association (BMA) manning picket lines across the country.
The Health Secretary condemned the strike as "reckless" and said the Government would not allow the BMA to "hold the country to ransom". Asked about the risk of patient harm, he told the PA news agency on Friday: "I'm really proud of the way that NHS leaders and frontline staff have prepared and mobilised to minimise the disruption and minimise the risk of harm to patients."
NHS staff cancel leave
Streeting praised the "extraordinary response" from NHS staff, including people cancelling their leave and resident doctors themselves ignoring their union to work. "What I can't do today is guarantee that there will be no disruption and that there is no risk of harm to patients," he admitted.
"We are doing everything we can to minimise it, but the risk is there, and that is why the BMA's action is so irresponsible," he said. The Health Secretary pointed to the 28.9% pay award given to resident doctors by the Government in its first year, along with offers to work on improving working conditions.
NHS adopts broader approach
NHS chief executive Sir Jim Mackey told broadcasters about his different approach to managing the strike, focusing on keeping as much pre-planned care going as possible rather than just emergency care. "So the difference this time is the NHS has put a huge effort in to try and get back on its feet," he said.
Mackey explained that the NHS had learned from previous strikes that "harm to patients and disruption to patients was much broader than the original definitions". He said colleagues were trying to keep "as much going as humanly possible", though capacity would be constrained by staff numbers.
BMA pushes pay restoration
The BMA has argued that real-terms pay has fallen by around 20% since 2008 and is pushing for full "pay restoration". The union took out national newspaper adverts on Friday, saying a newly qualified doctor earns just £18.62 per hour compared to over £24 per hour for a doctor's assistant.
BMA council chairman Dr Tom Dolphin told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the union had been expecting more pay for doctors. "Where we were last year when we started the pay campaign, we were down a third on our pay compared to 2008," he said.
Six-month strike mandate
Dolphin said the BMA needed to see "a clear, guaranteed pathway" to pay restoration for doctors to return to work. He added that "it's very disappointing to see a Labour Government taking such a hard line against trade unions."
The BMA has a six-month mandate to call more industrial action, meaning strikes could continue monthly. Mackey warned: "We could be doing this once a month for the next six months, but we've got to organise ourselves accordingly."
Prime Minister appeals
The strike comes after Sir Keir Starmer made a last-minute appeal to resident doctors, saying the strikes would "cause real damage". The Prime Minister said: "Most people do not support these strikes. They know they will cause real damage."
Streeting told broadcasters that patients "do come to harm" from strikes, particularly those waiting for care. He said the BMA was "forgetting the three words that should be at the forefront of every doctor's minds every day, which is, 'do no harm'."
Government stands firm
The Health Secretary maintained that the 28.9% pay award and willingness to work on conditions meant "those are not grounds for strike action". He said the Government would not allow the BMA to "hold the country to ransom" and would continue making progress on NHS improvement.
Resident doctors are qualified doctors in clinical training who have completed medical degrees and can have up to nine years of hospital experience. They can specialise in hospital medicine or train for up to five years to become GPs.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
