NHS Confederation responds to Health Secretary's comments on resident doctor strikes

Responding to the Secretary of State for Health’s comments at the NHS Providers annual conference on the upcoming resident doctor strikes, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

“The Secretary of State is absolutely right to highlight how well health leaders and frontline staff stepped up during the previous strikes to keep services running – managing to carry out 93% of planned operations, tests and procedures despite the walk outs.

“But he is also right that no one wins if these strikes go ahead. We hope the BMA’s leadership will take serious note of this damning assertion from the health and social care secretary before it proceeds with its next round of industrial action. If not, these strikes will do nothing but risk exposing patients to avoidable harm and as was announced, weaken what the government can then afford to offer resident doctors in response to their demands.

“The BMA must stop these strikes and accept that resident doctors have already received a significant pay increase. With further funding just not available, there is neither the financial nor moral case for these walk outs.”