Doctors threaten A&E walkouts

JUNIOR doctors seeking a 26 per cent pay rise will strike for three consecutive days if they vote for industrial action, it was announced yesterday.

The British Medical Association said the ‘full walkout’ planned for March will last 72 hours and even include A&Es. The ballot across England begins on Monday.

Separately, the Royal College of Nursing has indicated it may be willing to accept a 10 per cent rise, with the union’s Pat Cullen calling on the Government to meet it ‘halfway’. She told Times Radio: ‘Do I believe nurses are entitled (to 19 per cent)? Absolutely. But we also understand the economic climate.’

The BMA said Health Secretary Steve Barclay continues to ‘ignore’ all its invitations to meet doctors, making a negotiated settlement ‘virtually impossible’. The union said junior doctors will not provide emergency care during the strike, adding that trusts will need to arrange cover to ensure patient safety.

Miriam Deakin, director of policy at NHS Providers, said a potential strike by junior doctors was ‘deeply worrying’.

Meanwhile, ambulance handover delays have hit a new high, with 26 per cent of patients waiting more than an hour to be passed on to A&E staff last week, compared with 10 per cent at the same point last year. Almost half (44 per cent) waited at least 30 minutes – up from 23 per cent.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine said up to 500 people a week are dying due to the delays. The Prime Minister will today host an NHS forum to discuss how to improve performance.