UK’s Strike Action Hit More than 88,000 Appointments 

By Staff, Agencies

British Health leaders announced that “strike action in the health service has led to more than 88,000 appointments being postponed in England.”

“Industrial action by nurses, ambulance staff and physiotherapists has disrupted tens of thousands of appointments in just seven weeks at hospitals and across community services,” NHS Providers said.

The organization, which represents NHS trusts, accused the Government of “getting in the way” of attempts to tackle the record backlog of care by not reaching a resolution with health unions in the bitter dispute over pay.

The shocking scale of disruption is a direct result of pay disputes between the Government and unions. Trust leaders are worried this could skyrocket with more strikes.

It said that ministers have the power to end the dispute by getting back to the table with unions and discussing pay for this financial year and working conditions.

“Their reluctance to do so is getting in the way of efforts to tackle elective recovery for patients,” said the body’s interim chief executive Saffron Cordery.

An estimated 7.19 million people in England were waiting to start routine hospital treatment at the end of November, according to NHS figures.

In under a week, the NHS in England is set to experience the biggest industrial action in history as nurses and ambulance staff walk out simultaneously.

It comes as the Health Secretary is due to be quizzed on industrial action on Tuesday when he appears before the Health and Social Care Select Committee.

On February 6, Royal College of Nursing [RCN] members at 73 trusts, Unite members at four ambulance trusts, and GMB members at eight NHS ambulance trusts will take industrial action simultaneously. On February 7, RCN members will take further industrial action at the same 73 trusts as the previous day.

GMB members will also take industrial action in East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Mersey Care Foundation Trust, and NHS Blood and Transplant on February 6, and at Liverpool Women’s Foundation Trust on February 7.