Work to dig NHS out of decline 'starts today'

HEALTH LEADERS URGE NEW GOVERNMENT TO MAKE ENDING LONG-RUNNING JUNIOR DOCTOR DISPUTE A PRIORITY

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JUNIOR doctors in England are awaiting a call from the new Labour Government after officials promised to instigate discussions on “day one”.

Health leaders have urged the government to resolve the long-running dispute as a “priority” after it emerged that tens of thousands of appointments were postponed as a result of the latest strike.

NHS England said 61,989 appointments, procedures and operations were postponed as a result of the latest round of industrial action by junior doctors. It said 23,001 staff were absent from work due to strikes at the peak of the action.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, said: “These figures bring into sharp focus the impact that this latest round of industrial action has had on patients, with nearly 62,000 appointments postponed in recent days – but we know in reality this is likely to be even higher.