Doctors' strikes 'may delay operations into 2026'

Operations could be cancelled "well into the new year" due to the latest round of doctors' strikes, a hospital boss has warned.

A five-day walkout began on Wednesday over an ongoing dispute about pay.

Nick Hulme, who leads Colchester and Ipswich hospitals, said it was "very disappointing" for patients.

Announcing the strikes, the British Medical Association (BMA) said action had been backed by 83% of its members.

They are to be led by resident doctors – the new name for junior doctors – and follow similar strikes in November.

It comes at a pivotal point for hospitals, which are dealing with surging numbers of people with flu.

"With any industrial action, it's always the patients who pay the price," said Mr Hulme, chief executive of the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

"We will keep services safe over a really difficult time we're facing at the moment, but there's a consequence for that."

Mr Hulme said those consequences would include the cancellation of some outpatient services, diagnostic tests and operations.

"Although we will try to keep the cancellations to an absolute minimum, those senior staff that step down [to cover colleagues] will need rest," he continued.

"They will have to take time off subsequently and that will mean we'll have to cancel operations well into the new year."

The chief executive said a "well-established and robust" plan was in place, but that NHS leaders had been "distracted from doing our day job".

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also described the strikes as "irresponsible".

They were planned after the government offered a fresh deal which included increasing speciality training posts and covering out-of-pocket expenses, like exam fees.

The offer did not include any promises on pay which, for resident doctors, has been increased by almost 30% in the past three years.

However, the BMA argued that, despite the rises, resident doctors' pay was a fifth lower than it was in 2008, once inflation was taken into account.

Resident doctor leader Dr Jack Fletcher said: "Tens of thousands of front-line doctors have come together to say 'no' to what is clearly too little, too late."

He added the union was "committed to ensuring patient safety" and would be in close contact with NHS England throughout the industrial action.

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