Share this @internewscast.com

The NHS has been plagued by strike disruption on more than one day in every 10 for the last year – a total of 1,056 hours, analysis reveals.

Junior doctors in England are due to walk out again from 7am on Saturday until midnight on Wednesday.

By the end of that period, hospital doctors will have taken 44 days of industrial action, or 12 percent of the year, NHS England said.

Health chiefs are also concerned about high bed occupancy. There were 97,400 patients on wards in England last week compared with 95,000 at the same time last year.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “It’s not possible to have one in every 10 days affected by strikes for over a year without it having a huge impact on services, patients, their families, and staff.

“Coupled with today’s figures which show bed capacity is constrained, with more patients in hospital than this time last year – and thousands of patients in hospital with flu, norovirus and Covid-19 – alongside ongoing demand for urgent and emergency care, the enormous challenge faced by the NHS is clear.”

There were almost four times as many flu patients in hospital every day last week (2,208) than in the same week last year (638).

And there were an average of 509 patients in hospital with norovirus and 2,720 with Covid-19 each day last week.

Sir Stephen added: “Colleagues across the country have worked incredibly hard to ensure urgent and life-saving care has continued during more than a year of strike action, while also delivering progress on our recovery plans.

“But the NHS is under huge strain trying to mitigate the impact of these latest strikes during one of the most difficult times of the year.

“It remains vital that people who need care come forward and get it in the usual way – using 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies and 111 for everything else.”

Junior doctors in England are striking over demands for their pay to be restored to 2008 levels. The British Medical Association says their pay has been cut by more than a quarter since then.

NHS Providers warned that every round of strikes sent “shockwaves through the NHS, impacting patients and staff with little time to recover in between”.

The group’s chief executive, Sir Julian Hartley, said more than 1.4 million appointments in hospital, mental health and community services had been delayed due to walk-outs.

He added: “The scale and duration will have long-lasting ramifications.

“No one in pain or distress should have to wait a second longer than they need to, given conditions could worsen.”

Sir Julian added the strikes meant that clearing backlogs was “a near impossible task”.

“Trust leaders tell us that this prolonged industrial dispute is rapidly draining staff morale, the lifeblood of the NHS,” he said.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Research indicates that a well-known brain supplement might contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers exploring dementia have identified an amino acid that was once thought…

Important Alert: Eggs Recalled – “Do Not Eat, Sell, or Serve”

Eggs sold in two states have been urgently recalled over fears of…

Effective Solutions for Balance and Dizziness Issues: Many, Including Steve, Face Challenges and GPs May Fall Short. Discover Groundbreaking Treatments that Can Transform Lives if You Know What to Request—Doctors Call Them ‘Game-Changers’

Steve Watkins used to love his life working as tennis coach, playing…

UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting Rebukes Trump’s Paracetamol and Autism Assertions, Advises Public to Disregard

Wes Streeting has called on Britons to heed advice from the NHS…

NHS Urged to Address PTSD Surge Affecting Nearly 50% of Patients Undergoing Specific Treatment

A stem cell transplant provides a second chance at life for thousands…

Long-term Use of Paracetamol May Lead to Serious Health Risks for Some Individuals

Paracetamol can be acquired without a prescription from nearly every chemist and…

Pharmacist Reveals Trick to ‘Cure Cold in a Day’ Using a 55p Ingredient Found in Your Kitchen

As the weather in Britain changes, colds become more common. Symptoms often…

FDA Initiates Urgent Recall on Cheeses Contaminated with Potentially Fatal Bacteria

Multiple cheeses are being recalled over fears that they could cause death…

NHS Crisis Worsens as Cancer Symptoms Remain Unaddressed – ‘Risk of Progression’

Long NHS waiting lists are deterring patients from seeking treatment, even for…

Urgent Warning for Those Battling COVID or Viral Illnesses

Covid-19 is once again making its presence felt, with the new Stratus…

Health Officials Advise Britons to Wear Masks and Self-Isolate Amid Surge in New Covid Variants Nimbus and Stratus

People in the UK are being advised to wear masks in crowded…