This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
A&E strikes risk patient safety, health minister warns
Health Minister Ben Gummer has warned that junior doctors will harm patients safety by withdrawing emergency care during the strikes next month.
The news comes after the British Medical Association (BMA) said it had been left with ‘no choice in its fight against the opposition of a new contract in England. The strikes, which take place from 8:00 to 17:00 on 26 to 27 April, will include emergency care for the first time since the strikes began.
Addressing the House of Commons, Gummer said: “We will do everything in our power to ensure patients are protected. If you withdraw the number of doctors that will be withdrawn by the BMA in this action then there is an increased risk of patient harm.”
Gummer maintained the government would not be ‘held hostage’ by the move.
The strikes mean consultants will be drafted from across the hospital to staff everything from intensive care and emergency surgery to A&E. Normally, junior doctors would be among the first medics to be summoned, however, in their absence and with consultants deployed elsewhere, patients could be vulnerable.
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