NHS Confederation warns consultants strike is 'a step into the unknown'
Commenting ahead of two days of industrial action from NHS consultants, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation said:
“After five days of walkouts by junior doctors, the health service will be struggling to catch its breath ahead of industrial action from senior consultants, and health leaders will be dismayed by the prospect of more to come.
“Leaders anticipate serious disruption over the coming days, despite their diligent efforts to prepare. A consultants’ strike is something of an unknown quantity, and while there are plans in place for Christmas Day levels of cover in emergency care, the patience of patients may be tested as wider services are reduced and operations postponed. This in essence is two Christmas Days back-to-back and follows a working weeks’ worth of walkouts from other staff, so it’s very much a step into the unknown.
“Leaders completely understand the frustrations of staff, but if this pattern continues, hopes of clearing the backlog will dwindle and the NHS will be stuck in a state of near suspended animation. We’ve got to see a willingness to engage from both sides.”
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