Junior Doctors across Lincolnshire on strike for the next 5 days
It's causing disruption to operations and appointments across the county
As fresh strike action by junior doctors gets underway this morning, we're hearing that more appointments and operations across Lincolnshire are having to be cancelled.
The United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS trust says they've had to make the difficult decision due of an uncertainty around staffing levels.
It's because BMA union members are walking out for the next 5 days in a dispute over pay.
Rebecca Neno is the Deputy Director for System and Delivery at Lincolnshire's NHS Integrated Care Board:
"The NHS is a recipe made up of many different ingredients, and those ingredients typically are our staff, take away one of those ingredients, and that's when things don't work as well as they should... and that causes the other staff to have to work differently.
"It's incredibly difficult, but as always, NHS staff will come to work, roll their sleeves up and get on with the job."
Rebecca added that people should consider using other services, unless urgent, during this time:
"Talk before you walk. Really do think about what services you're using. Our urgent care services, whilst we'll protect them and they will be safe, they will be stretched and there will be longer waits. So that will be difficult."
This is the tenth round of junior doctor strike action in England and it's taking place from 7am on Saturday 24th of February to the end of Wednesday 28th of February.
This will be a full walkout.
BMA junior doctors committee co-chairs Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi said yesterday:
“The Government could have stopped these strikes by simply making a credible pay offer for junior doctors in England to begin reversing the pay cuts they have inflicted upon us for more than a decade. The same Government could have even accepted our offer to delay this round of strike action to give more space for talks – all we asked for in return was a short extension of our mandate to strike. The fact that ministers have chosen strike action over what could have been the end of this year’s pay dispute is disappointing to say the least.
“Junior doctors are trained to deliver high quality care, but that care is impossible to give when they are exhausted, demoralised, and working in an NHS that is chronically underfunded and understaffed. More and more colleagues who have simply had enough with the already 26% pay cut, are leaving the NHS for better-paying jobs in Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere that value their workforce. All doctors are looking for is to reverse pay cuts and be paid the same, in real terms, as in 2008 - which looks like around £21 per hour instead of the current £15 per hour. This is the way to a better-staffed, more effective health service, and all the Government has to do to call off these strikes is come forward with a credible way of getting there.
“This is the last action of our current mandate, but with the strength of determination shown by junior doctors across the country we fully expect to see that mandate renewed into the autumn. There is no point in the Government delaying any further. The time to end this dispute is now.”
The United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust have this statement on the action:
"The NHS in Lincolnshire will again face significant pressure this week due to further industrial action by junior doctors, which is taking place from 7am on Saturday 24 February to 11.59pm on Wednesday 28 February.
"Our key message to people is the NHS is still here for you and you should continue to come forward for NHS care, but please use NHS services wisely – if you need medical help use 111 online, telephone 111 or via the NHSApp. If it’s an emergency and/or life threatening you should call 999.
"It is possible that some appointments may have to be cancelled, however, you should attend your appointment as planned (including hospital and GP) unless you are directly contacted and asked not to. If your appointment has to be cancelled, you will be notified, and it will be rearranged.
"Mental health support is available during this time via the local 24/7 mental health helplines on 0800 001 4331, or 0800 234 6342 for children, young people and their families.
"Local community pharmacies are open and able to offer advice and help, as well as treatment for seven common conditions such as a sore throat or earache, without the need for a GP appointment or prescription.
"In Lincolnshire we also have the WaitLess App, which can be downloaded and enables you to view live waiting times, queue numbers and travel time information for our urgent care facilities in the county.
"Our staff are working in very difficult situations that are beyond their control. They want to keep you safe and provide the best possible care. Please treat them with the same respect you and your family would expect to receive."
The Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:
“I want to see doctors treating patients, not standing on picket lines. In negotiations with the BMA Junior Doctors Committee, we made it clear we were prepared to go further than the pay increase of up to 10.3% that they have already received. They refused to put our offer to their members.
“More than 1.3 million appointments and operations have already been cancelled or rescheduled since industrial action began – five days of further action will compound this.
“The NHS has robust contingency plans in place, and it is vital that people continue to come forward for treatment. But no one should underestimate the impact these strikes have on our NHS. So again, I urge the BMA Junior Doctors Committee to call off their strikes and show they are prepared to be reasonable, so that we can come back to the negotiating table to find a fair way forward.”