Militant doctors ‘trying to shut hospitals’
THE British Medical Association has been accused of trying to shut down hospitals during strikes next week by using militant tactics to prevent the NHS from preparing.
Three-day walkouts by junior doctors expected to begin on Monday morning could mean up to half a million appointments and operations are cancelled as efforts are made to protect A&E and critical care services.
Guidance from the British Medical Association, issued to all junior doctors and seen by The Daily Telegraph, instructs members not to inform hospitals if they intend to join the industrial action. As a result, hospitals are having to prepare for the worst and some have postponed all planned operations.
NHS chiefs warned yesterday that the union’s refusal to consider protecting services from the action could result in “much more severe” disruption than previous walkouts, which would have a “huge” impact on waiting lists.
Urging the public only to go to A&E in life-threatening situations, Prof Stephen Powis, the NHS medical director, said: “We have no option but to prioritise emergency and critical care as a matter of patient safety.”
The walkouts in England are likely to affect every hospital as the 61,000 junior doctors involved make up half the medical workforce.
Separate union documents set out hardline tactics with activists instructed to draw up secret files on colleagues’ attitudes and to score strikers for loyalty in order to change their minds.
A Conservative Party source said: “This sinister guide is a handbook for
divisive militancy. The Government is clear that instead of playing politics it wants to focus on fixing the NHS to ensure better care for patients.
“Whilst the BMA are pushing hardline campaign tactics, we’re working to reduce waiting lists, improve A&E performance and make it easier to see a GP.”
Last night, Steve Barclay, the Health Secretary, said he had written to the BMA inviting them for formal pay talks, if they call off the strikes.
The 72-hour action, starting at 7am on Monday, is the longest industrial action taken by any health union, with junior doctors withdrawing from A&E departments, as well as planned care.
Estimates suggest that as many as 500,0000 procedures could be affected, with up to 100,000 cancelled on each day of the walkouts, and a severe knock-on effect on following days, as consultants drafted in to cover for junior doctors take their leave.
So far, repeated strikes by nurses, ambulance workers, and other health staff have resulted in 142,000 appointments and operations being postponed.
Other health unions have spent this week in pay negotiations with the Government and talks are expected to continue next week.
NHS chiefs last night said thousands of patients would be affected by cancellations and urged the public to use 999 and A&E only in life-threatening situations and otherwise to turn to the 111 helpline, pharmacists and GPS.
Prof Powis said: “The NHS has been working incredibly hard to mitigate the impact of this strike. While we are doing what we can to avoid having to reschedule appointments, there’s no doubt that disruption will be much more severe than before and patients who have been waiting for some time will face postponements across many treatment areas.”
Internal BMA documents reveal the extent of the militant tactics being used as the strikes approach.
One, entitled “Pay Restoration Now – an activist’s guide to winning the campaign”, directs activists to compile files on their colleagues to “build up knowledge of every junior doctor who works at your NHS Trust”, but not to discuss them with outsiders.