Impact of latest junior doctors strike revealed ahead of six-day new year walk-out
Junior doctors were on strike for more than 500 shifts at the county's emergency hospitals over three days last week.
The British Medical Association (BMA) action saw junior doctors walking out for three days of strikes, from Wednesday, December 20, to Saturday, December 23.
Strikes came amid the ongoing dispute between the Government and the BMA over demands for an increase in pay for junior doctors.
The three-day walkout is set to be followed by an unprecedented six-day strike, from 7am on January 3 to 7am on January 9.
Data released by NHS England shows the impact of the latest action on the county's emergency hospitals – Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, both run by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).
Across the three days at SaTH there were a total of 543 people absent on industrial action.
December 20 saw 189 walk out, with 179 on December 21, and 175 on December 22.
The walkouts have also had an impact on patients, with a total of 280 appointments or elective procedures cancelled at the trust.
December 20 saw six inpatient and 82 outpatient appointments cancelled, there were two inpatient and 110 outpatient appointments cancelled on December 21, and 80 outpatient appointments cancelled on December 22.
Ahead of the walkout local health bosses had warned of 'significant' disruption for both the December strike and the forthcoming January action.
Vanessa Whatley, interim chief nursing officer for NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, had said: “With the three-day strike ahead of Christmas and a six-day strike – the longest walkout in NHS history – in the new year, our hospitals will undoubtedly be facing significant pressure and disruption."
Across the country just over 86,300 hospital appointments were cancelled in the latest action.
Responding to the data on the impact of the strikes, NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: "This latest round of strike action over the festive period has put an already overloaded heath service under significantly more pressure – three days of strike action, ending two days before Christmas, has seen more than 86,000 more appointments rescheduled for patients needing care.
“As well as having an impact on planned care, industrial action is putting pressure on wider services, and prioritising emergency care takes staff away from other areas such as recovering services.
“With another six-day walkout coming in the new year at what is one of the busiest times for the health service, strike action is once again going to bring significant challenges to the NHS as it struggles to provide for patients amid severe disruption.
“As ever, over the festive period, we encourage people to attend A&E and call 999 in life-threatening emergencies, but to use 111 online for other health needs.”
