New figures released today reveal that the number of acute inpatient and outpatient appointments rescheduled due to the recent strike action by junior doctors and consultants has surpassed one million. Data on the industrial action taken by NHS staff last week demonstrates the significant impact on patient care, with thousands of appointments affected.
During the recent strike action, an additional 129,913 appointments had to be rescheduled, and at the peak of the strike, 26,802 staff members were absent from work. This disruption in healthcare services has created substantial challenges for both patients and the healthcare system.
In addition to the acute care settings, there were 3,581 cancellations recorded in mental health, learning disability, and community settings. These cancellations underline the wide-ranging consequences of the strike on healthcare delivery across various specialties.
The total number of appointments rescheduled since December 2022 now stands at a staggering 1,015,067, highlighting the cumulative impact of ongoing industrial action on the NHS and its patients.
What makes this strike particularly noteworthy is that, for the first time in NHS history, both consultants and junior doctors took joint action. Consultants initiated the strike on 19th September, and junior doctors joined them a day later, marking a united front among healthcare professionals protesting against working conditions and demanding better support for the NHS.
