Strike is "bitterly disappointing"

Responding to the latest strike by resident doctors, the director of acute and ambulance care at The NHS Alliance, Rory Deighton, said:

"Once again health leaders are working flat out with frontline staff to minimise the impact of another strike, but it’s bitterly disappointing that it’s come to this.

"We are hearing from members that the timing of this walkout, coming off the back of an extended bank holiday weekend, has compounded the usual pressures you would expect to see at this time.

"That’s adding to disruption and delays for patients and is hard to take for the many staff who have given so much to maintain standards of care throughout this long and damaging dispute.

"There’s also a heavy cost both to patients and financially for the health service in ensuring cover and rescheduling work that should have gone ahead.

"However, it’s important that patients don’t put off any care they need and come to scheduled appointments unless they’ve been advised not to.”