NHS doctors industrial action - Healthwatch England's response
With junior doctors taking industrial action, patients across England face cancelled appointments or delayed operations.
Responding, our Chief Executive, Louise Ansari, said:
"The public knows that NHS staff have been delivering care under unprecedented circumstances in recent years, with capacity stretched while demand for care rises. They also know that NHS still provides vital treatment to the vast majority of those in need.
"However, continued industrial action will worry people. The NHS already faces a massive backlog of care, and public satisfaction with NHS services, especially urgent and emergency care, is now at an all-time low.
"Further service disruptions are only likely to add to these problems and undermine people's confidence. Therefore, we urge all parties to find a resolution as quickly as possible."
Supporting patients during strike action
Last November, we shared four steps that the NHS could take during industrial action to help provide people with clarity and ensure safety is maintained.
- Preventing public confusion: Clear and accessible communications to the public at a local level is critical. Patients need to know when strike action is happening and which services are and are not be affected. Communications should be available in accessible formats to make sure the most vulnerable people are not excluded.
- Make clear lifesaving help is available: Patients need to understand that life-preserving care is protected, and what kind of care falls into this category.
- Supporting people if care is delayed: If planned appointments or operations are postponed, the NHS must ensure it gives patients and carers as much notice of the changes as possible. They must contact all patients to rebook care or let them know when they can expect a new date for care. They also must tell people about support available while they wait.
- Clear contingency plans: With strike action likely to affect local areas in different ways, it's essential that local contingency plans are in place and the NHS shares these plans with local partners so they can help support the public.
