NHS Confederation responds to BMA resident doctors rejecting government's final pay offer

Responding to the British Medical Association (BMA) rejecting the final pay offer from the government, Rory Deighton, acute director at the NHS Confederation, said:

“More strikes is the last thing health leaders want going into what is expected to be a very difficult winter – with the flu with flu season hitting more than a month earlier than in previous years. NHS leaders and their teams will already be preparing to manage the upcoming walk-outs this month but there is no question the disruption from five days of strikes will have a huge impact on services and patients.

“These strikes will jeopardise the good progress the NHS has been making in improving performance and boosting productivity and make it much more difficult for the health service to reduce waiting lists and implement the vital reforms needed to put the NHS on a sustainable footing.

“In the end, patients will bear the brunt of industrial action and our members will continue to try to provide the best care possible and maintain patient safety during any periods of industrial action. We hope the BMA and the government can reach a solution that avoids overwhelming an NHS already buckling under immense pressure.”