Home » UK Business & Employment News • UK Employment news » Over 67,000 hospital appointments cancelled during consultants’ strike

Over 67,000 hospital appointments cancelled during consultants’ strike

By Nithya Bose in UK Business & Employment News, posted July 25, 2023

The recent strike by consultants in England has caused 67,000 hospital appointments and procedures to be cancelled, figures show.

The industrial action between July 20 and 22 led to the rescheduling of 65,557 inpatient and outpatient appointments.

Additionally, 1,474 mental health and learning disability, and 731 community hospital appointments, were also affected.

It brought the total number of disrupted appointments to 67,762.

However, these figures might not fully capture the extent of the disruption, as some NHS trusts could not provide data for publication.

The strike, organized by members of the British Medical Association (BMA), was primarily over concerns about pay levels.

It marked the first time consultants had taken such action in nearly half a century.

Since the start of the current period of industrial action in December, a total of 764,370 inpatient and outpatient hospital appointments have been cancelled.

Combined with cancellations in mental health, learning disability, and community settings, the cumulative total of affected appointments reaches just under 820,000.

A second strike by consultants in England is scheduled for August 24 and 25.

Meanwhile, radiographers at 37 NHS trusts in England will also engage in a 48-hour strike starting today (Tuesday, July 25) at 8 am as part of a separate dispute related to pay.

Junior health minister Will Quince said it was “disappointing that thousands of appointments and procedures had to be postponed over the last week as a result of consultants strike action, hindering efforts to cut NHS waiting lists and impacting on patient care”.

“As recommended by the independent pay review body, we are giving consultants a 6% pay rise this year, on top of last year’s 4.5% increase – meaning their average NHS earnings will increase to £134,000 a year.

“We have also reformed pension tax rules in response to calls from the BMA, meaning consultants can increase their tax-free pension savings to £60,000 a year.

“We are willing to discuss non-pay issues, but this pay award is final so I urge the BMA to end this needless disruption and call off its strikes in August.”

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Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, called for both sides to engage in talks, saying the health service “can’t go on like this”.

She said: “More than 820,000 routine treatments and appointments have had to be put back due to industrial action right across hospital, ambulance, mental health and community services since December.

“Eight straight months of industrial action will have a long-lasting effect on already low morale and hinder efforts to cut waiting lists – a Government priority.

“Keeping patients safe is the number one priority for trusts and they will keep pulling out all the stops to minimise disruption.

“But every strike is making the job harder and more expensive to provide cover.”

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