Doctors’ strikes: the NHS faces its toughest test yet

Winter is always a busy and challenging time for the NHS. Last winter was the toughest on record.Trust leaders and staff need time to plan and prepare for the extra demand and pressure, including from flu cases, which winter brings. And covid-19 hasn’t gone away.Yet instead they are having to spend too much time dealing with another pressure point—strikes.This week trust leaders face their toughest test yet as thousands of consultants and junior doctors go on strike on the same day for the first time ever. And next month a second coordinated strike will coincide with further action by radiographers whose recent two-day strike caused 13 000 postponed appointments. Nine in 10 patients see a radiographer for acute diagnosis or treatment, including in emergency departments, cancer care, and maternity services.We are in uncharted territory this week and it’s all hands on deck. Volunteers will be stepping up their efforts in…
Read Original Article: Doctors’ strikes: the NHS faces its toughest test yet »