Junior doctor row putting strain on NHS, health leaders warn

Health service leaders have cautioned that the junior doctor dispute is starting to take its toll on the NHS in England, as junior doctors participate in their third strike.

Medical staff began a third strike at 08:00 on Wednesday 9 March, due to last 48 hours, in a bid to stop the government from imposing the new junior doctor contract. However, Dr Anne Rainsberry of NHS England warned that the sustained nature of the action was making it difficult for hospitals to operate smoothly.

Figures show over 5,000 operations and treatments have been cancelled as a result of the 48 hour strike, bringing the total cancellations during the dispute to 19,000. Hospitals are working particularly hard to re-arrange the treatments, which cover routine operations such as knee and hip replacements.

Rainsberry said: "This is clearly going to be a difficult couple of days. A 48-hour strike will put significantly more pressure on the NHS and the cumulative effect of these recurring strikes is likely to take a toll.

"The safety and care of patients is always our number one priority and staff across the NHS are doing all they can to minimise the impact on patients of the action."

Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association, also expressed concerns about the dispute. She said: "Whatever the rights and wrongs of the arguments put forward by either side, the failure to resolve the differences by agreement is bad for doctors, bad for the taxpayer, but above all bad for patients and the NHS."