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Strike affecting half of NHS England trusts as pay dispute continues
Nursing strikes, which are affecting emergency departments, intensive care units and cancer care for the first time today, will lead to “inevitable disruption” to non-emergency care services, a leading doctor says. While the head of the nursing union insists a minimum level of care will remain, with emergency cases still being seen.
Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS England’s medical director for national transformation, has told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:
Patients will still be seen if they unfortunately need to use an emergency department, of course that will always happen. But the delivery of care may be delayed if it is not a life-threatening emergency.
If it is an emergency, you will be treated as normal. That’s why we are really emphasising the importance of people not delaying seeking medical help and calling 999 as normal or using 111. But it is inevitable that there will be disruption to normal care even in those services where we have agreed mitigations with the Royal College of Nursing.
Our nurses will continue to work today to ensure our patients are kept safe. And those nurses that are on the picket lines losing a day’s pay, should there be other emergencies that arise during that period, I won’t even have to ask those nurses to return to work, they will return at their own volition. They don’t turn their back on patients, they will continue to do what they need to do.
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