Leaked NHS papers show true cost of doctors' strike

The junior doctors’ strike will lead to caesarean births being cancelled, an increase in the number of mental health patients detained and issues transferring the critically ill for urgent care, according to leaked NHS documents that show that the impact of the 96-hour walkout will reverberate through the NHS for months to come.

- REBECCA THOMAS

The action over pay, which begins today, will compromise critical care and major trauma services, while there will even be a delay to funerals because doctors will not be available to issue death certificates. Patients were warned yesterday to avoid "risky" behaviour and stay away from A&E if possible, while hospital bosses estimated that 350,000 routine operations were likely to be cancelled.

Hospitals are expecting as few as half the number of consultants to cover junior doctor shifts as during the previous strike, because of "fatigue" among staff and planned leave over the school holidays. Internal predictions sent to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) last week also warned that low staffing levels in critical care services would affect clinical care for both adults and children, with patients not receiving medicines or assessments on time.

There is particular concern over hospitals in the South West, which are experiencing worse staffing shortages along with an increase in demand from tourists.

Yesterday, NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor urged the government and junior doctors' unions to call in the Acas conciliation service in order to end their stalemate and avoid further "catastrophic" strikes. Speaking to Sky News, Mr Taylor said: "There's no point hiding the fact that there will be risks to patients, risks to patient safety, risks to patient dignity, as we're not able to provide the kind of care that we want to."