JUNIOR doctors across the West Midlands have begun a second day of strike action in their dispute over new contracts.
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At North Tees 285 outpatient appointments from 20 clinics have been cancelled as well as five operations.
Stacey Hunter, director of operations at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust said: “Like other hospitals throughout the country we are facing industrial action by junior doctors today”.
“All of our emergency care services will be running as usual, but members of the public are reminded to only attend A&E if it is a genuine emergency and to consider alternative options for minor ailments, such as visiting your pharmacist, walk in centre or urgent care centre”.
“Every appointment will be rescheduled”.
In response to the Health Secretary’s comments, Dr Borbora said: “Jeremy Hunt is the only irresponsible individual here”.
‘We deeply regret the disruption which today’s action will cause, and have changed the form of industrial action from a full walkout to emergency cover only to balance the need to send a clear message to the government with minimising disruption for patients.
Abhishek Joshi, a heart doctor at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, said the new contracts could stop hospital operators from being penalised if doctors work prolonged shifts, “at the end of which we’ll be exhausted and therefore dangerous”.
Last-minute talks are taking place between the British Medical Association and the government in a bid to stop Wednesday’s strike over a contract dispute.
Mr Hunt said he had been left with no choice after the union refused to compromise over proposed changes to junior doctors’ contracts.
Currently, junior doctors are paid a higher rate for hours worked between 7pm and 7am Monday to Friday and for weekend work.
They say the new contract on the table will be better for patients because it removes the existing incentive for doctors to work “unsafe” hours.
English doctors staged their second 24-hour strike over government plans to reform pay and conditions for working anti-social hours, in a move health chiefs have warned could put patients’ lives at risk.
“We would to thank our junior doctor colleagues for their professionalism to ensure patient safety is maintained”.
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“If anyone needs medical help during the industrial action and it’s not an emergency they should consider NHS Choices, or visit their local pharmacy – or call their GP or NHS 111 for more serious matters”.
