A 'devastating blow' to the British health service. Doctors announce a strike just before Christmas

The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced that resident doctors in England will go on strike from December 17 to 22. As reported, the protest is the result of the lack of offers from the government regarding, among others, increasing wages.

“As the government has failed to present a credible plan to address the employment crisis for resident doctors, while at the same time pushing for a real reduction in their salaries, we have no choice but to announce another strike date,” said Dr Jack Fletcher of the BMA.

Rory Deighton, a representative of NHS England, the body that manages the public healthcare system, described the announced protest as a “devastating blow to the health service”. – Winter is just starting, which means a larger number of flu patients and medical staff, so the pressure on the health service will be enormous – he added. He estimates that the doctors' strike will lead to “thousands of canceled appointments and surgeries.”

The dispute between doctors and the government has been going on since March 2023. Since then, 13 strikes have been carried out, including the last two, lasting several days, in July and November. Sky News reported that the summer protest cost the British health service approximately £300 million.

From London Marta Zabłocka (PAP)

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