The NHS Alliance comments on resident doctors strike in June

Responding to the latest announcement of further industrial action by the British Medical Association (BMA) resident doctors from 15-19th of June, Matthew Hopkins, interim acute and ambulance network director at The NHS Alliance, said:

“This decision to strike yet again is rash and wholly irresponsible and will leave patients paying the price. This latest round of industrial action, the 16th stoppage in the last three years, puts at risk the hard worn progress the health service has made in recent months in bringing down waiting lists and driving up productivity.

Health leaders and their teams will be deeply concerned about the threat of this fresh walkout by resident doctors, given the additional pressure it would place on already stretched clinical and administrative colleagues.

“As always, every effort will be made to minimise disruption, but thousands of people still face having appointments and operations rescheduled.

“It is particularly disappointing to have to prepare for further strike action at a time when practical steps are being taken to improve resident doctors’ working conditions through the 10 Point Plan.

“It’s high time this dispute is brought to an end. If this deadlock cannot be broken, then surely the time has come to bring in an intermediary to arbitrate to resolve this damaging dispute once and for all.”