Downing Street has warned that the strikes by junior doctors will have a “significant impact” on the “NHS and for individual patients.”
Downing Street said that the industrial action comes a “challenging time” and has urged the junior doctors to return to the negotiating table.
BMA junior doctors committee accused the government of failing to invest into staff to prevent the crisis, as “every winter we raise the alarm about the NHS.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said that Health Secretary Victoria Atkins was “very open to continuing discussion.”
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On 3 January doctors who are in training will take the largest strike in the history of the NHS as they will walk out for six days.
From 7am on 20 Decembers to 7am on 23 December’s junior doctors who are members of the British Medial Association (BMA) will walkout over the long running dispute in pay.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We would encourage junior doctors to consider carefully the extremely significant impact striking at such a challenging time will have, both on the NHS and for individual patients, and to return to talks.
“I know the Health and Care Secretary is very open to continuing discussion.”
The NHS has said emergency and urgent care will be prioritised during the strikes and that “almost all” routine care will be affected.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for the NHS in England, said: “These strikes come at a time that will cause huge disruption to the NHS, with services already feeling the strain of winter pressure.
“When you factor in the Christmas and New Year break, these strikes will prolong that period of reduced activity and it also puts the health service on the back foot into the new year, which is a time where we see demand start to rise significantly.
“Over the holiday period, I would encourage anyone who needs medical help to continue to come forward – in a life-threatening emergency call 999 and use A&E in the usual way. For everything else, use 111 online.”
BMA junior doctors committee co-chairs Dr Rob Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi said in a statement: “The Government can still avoid the need for these strikes: we will be ready and willing any time they want to talk. If a credible offer can be presented the day before, or even during any action, these strikes can be cancelled.
“Every winter we raise the alarm about the NHS and every winter the Government fails to put the necessary investment into staff to prevent the crisis – now is the time to break the trend.”
Almost two weeks ago, Labour’s outspoken Shadow Health Secretary has blasted the NHS of using “every winter crisis” as an “excuse to ask for more month.”
We Streeting said that the public must “hear the truth about the NHS” and he has vowed to “Shake” the health system and “the public out of complacency.”
Streeting said that he is planning to bring back the family doctor system which will part of Labour’s reforms.
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