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Junior doctors' strike: NHS braces for most disruptive walkout yetA four-day junior doctors' strike across England is expected to be the most disruptive in the NHS's history. British Medical Association (BMA) members in planned and emergency care will walk out at 07:00 BST on Tuesday. More than a quarter of million of appointments and operations could be cancelled, and some hospitals say up to half of planned treatment is affected. The union said there were plans to pull doctors off picket lines if lives were in immediate danger. Under trade union laws, life-and-limb cover must be provided.
The junior doctors' approach contrasts with recent strikes by nurses and ambulance workers, which saw unions agree to exempt certain emergency services. But doctors say they are striking for patient safety as much as about pay, saying that current pay levels are affecting recruitment and leading to many doctors leaving the profession. Prof Sir Stephen Powis, the NHS's national medical director, said it would be "the most disruptive industrial action in NHS history". He said health leaders were concerned about the potential impact on patients and services, and cancer patients were among those whose treatment will be delayed. Mental health services and some GP surgeries are also expected to be impacted, while the NHS said it will prioritise keeping critical care, maternity, neonatal care, and trauma operations running.
Between 250,000 and 350,000 appointments and operations could be cancelled, according to estimates from senior NHS figures. An estimated 86,000 staff will strike, but the timing is as important as its scale - it immediately follows the bank holiday Easter weekend, a period when the NHS already faces increased demand and greater staff absence.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65204548