Statement ahead of further junior doctor strike action in Wales

Responding to the Welsh Government’s embargoed press notice ahead of further junior doctor strike action next week, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation Darren Hughes said:

“NHS leaders understand the financial challenges facing the Welsh Government, but it is disappointing that the BMA and government have not been able to find a solution to the ongoing pay dispute.

“Patient safety is of course the number one priority. Health leaders and their teams will pull out all the stops to fill rotas ahead of the strikes, but the reality is more patients having their operations or appointments cancelled, which will impact on attempts to tackle waiting lists for routine hospital care. 

“As always, it is patients who bear the greatest burden from industrial action, with around 41 per cent of outpatient appointments and 61 per cent of operations postponed across Wales in the last wave of industrial action by junior doctors in January. 

“The impact of strike action is not just felt on the days of industrial action, but also following industrial action when the service does its best to catch up on postponed patient appointments and cancellations. 

“It is not too late to restart negotiations and stop the strikes before more patients have their vital care delayed. We call on both sides to lay out the basis for a realistic settlement that would be satisfactory to the majority of junior doctors.”