Strikes ‘stalling’ efforts to bring down waiting lists – PM

NHS strikes are “stalling” efforts to tackle the record backlog of care in the NHS, the Prime Minister has said.

Rishi Sunak said that he wanted to see junior doctors accept the pay deal on offer so “we can all get back to treating patients and getting those waiting lists down”.

It comes at the conclusion of the latest round of strikes by junior doctors in England.

It is the fifth time junior doctors from the British Medical Association (BMA) have staged industrial action in England amid the ongoing dispute over pay.

On a visit to a hospital in Buckinghamshire, the Mr Sunak said: “I’m pleased that we’ve practically eliminated the number of people waiting two years. Earlier this year we practically eliminated the number of people waiting one-and-a-half years.

“Unfortunately, the progress that we were making has stalled because of the industrial action.”

He added that the NHS across the UK is “grappling with the aftermath” of Covid-19, and waiting lists in Labour-run Wales are “far higher than they are in England”.

Data published by NHS England on Thursday revealed that 7.6 million people were waiting to start treatment at the end of June, up from 7.5 million in May.

The figure is the highest since records began in 2007.

Meanwhile health minister Will Quince insisted that negations with doctors on pay are over but said he is “open” to discuss other issues including working environments.

My door remains open to discuss other issues around working environments and conditions, but pay is closed and I think that’s the right decision

Mr Quince told Sky News: “It’s hugely disappointing that both the junior doctors of the BMA and the consultants are still taking industrial action.

“And that’s despite the Government having accepted in full the recommendations of the independent Pay Review Body.

“Take junior doctors for example – we accepted the recommendation, which is an average of 8.8% (rise for average junior doctors) or 10.3% for new doctors just starting out in training.

“The Prime Minister has been really clear that the discussion on pay is now closed.

“My door remains open to discuss other issues around working environments and conditions, but pay is closed and I think that’s the right decision.”

In July the Government announced that junior doctors will receive pay rises of 6%, along with an additional consolidated £1,250 increase, and hospital consultants will also receive 6%.

NHS officials have suggested that the latest action will have led to thousands of appointments, operations and procedures being postponed.

Hospital consultants are set to stage their own strike later in the month.

Steve Barclay has singularly failed to make any significant steps towards ending this dispute and, as he continues to posture and pontificate, the waiting list goes up and more patients see their treatment delayed

BMA junior doctors committee co-chairmen Dr Rob Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi said in a statement during the strike: “This Government and the Health Secretary have grown increasingly intransigent, belligerent and unwilling to talk about how we can end this dispute, and indeed are now expending more energy on making spurious claims about the reasons for our legitimate campaign than they are about settling the dispute.

“Steve Barclay has singularly failed to make any significant steps towards ending this dispute and, as he continues to posture and pontificate, the waiting list goes up and more patients see their treatment delayed.

“What he and the Prime Minister should be doing is getting back round the table with us to find a way of ending this dispute.”