Wirral: Junior doctors start four-day strike action

An estimated 350,000 appointments, including operations, will be cancelled across the country as a result of the walkout by members of the British Medical Association (BMA).

Doctors mounted picket lines outside hospitals at 7am today (April 11) and will continue to strike until Saturday morning (April 15).

The strikes centre around a pay row between the BMA and Government, with the union claiming junior doctors in England have seen a 26% real-terms pay cut since 2008/09 because pay rises have been below inflation.

The union has asked for a full pay restoration that the Government said would amount to a 35% pay rise – which ministers have said is unaffordable.

BMA officials said the pay issue is making it harder to recruit and retain junior doctors, with members previously walking out for three days in March.

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NHS England said staff will be asked to prioritise emergency and urgent care over some routine appointments and procedures to ensure safe care for those in life-threatening situations.

Junior doctors are striking for the next four days (Image: Chloe Nightingale)

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: "It is extremely disappointing the BMA has called strike action for four consecutive days.

"Not only will the walkouts risk patient safety, but they have also been timed to maximise disruption after the Easter break.

"I hoped to begin formal pay negotiations with the BMA last month but its demand for a 35% pay rise is unreasonable – it would result in some junior doctors receiving a pay rise of over £20,000.

"If the BMA is willing to move significantly from this position and cancel strikes we can resume confidential talks and find a way forward, as we have done with other unions."

The BMA has previously said it was willing to enter talks with Mr Barclay and suspend strikes if members were presented with a “credible” pay offer “to resolve 15 years of pay erosion."

Dr Annie Bown, 29, is the Chair of the British Medical Association Regional Junior Doctors Committee for Merseyside.

She said: "We're asking for our pay to be restored to what it was in 2008/09 as it has decreased in real term by 26%. 

"As doctors, we are not seeing 26% fewer patients or doing 26% less work. If anything we're doing more work than ever, patients are more complex, and we worked through covid."

Advice from Wirral University Teaching Hospital

In statement online, Wirral University Teaching Hospital said: "You will have been contacted if your appointment is affected. Please continue to attend hospital appointments unless contacted otherwise. 

"Hospital services will be significantly impacted by the strike action and we expect our A&E to be very busy following the Easter Bank Holiday.

"If it is not an emergency please contact NHS 111 Online and please only attend A&E if you have an emergency."

For more information, visit https://www.cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk/posts/nhs-industrial-action/.