Hospitals across North East Lincolnshire are preparing for the impending five-day strike by resident doctors, scheduled to commence on Friday at 07:00 BST. NHS officials have warned that delays in appointments could be a possibility in hospitals such as Grimsby and Scunthorpe as local doctors join the nationwide walkout that has been organised by the British Medical Association (BMA). The NHS Humber Health Partnership has reassured patients that they will be updated if their appointments are set to be impacted.
Dr Kate Wood, the group chief medical officer for the health partnership, not only acknowledged the inconvenience caused by these postponements but also apologised to those who could be affected. She underscored the necessity of giving priority to urgent and emergency care during the strike. While the resident doctors have received a 5.4% pay increase this financial year, they are calling for ‘pay restoration’, alluding to a decrease when factoring in inflation, since 2008. The BMA has indicated that it is open to further dialogue with the government, though the recent discussions have failed to settle the dispute.
The strike is expected to conclude at 07:00 BST on Wednesday. During this period, GP surgeries and pharmacies will continue their usual operations. The NHS trust encourages patients to ease the pressure on hospitals during the strike. This could involve ordering repeat prescriptions ahead of time and becoming acquainted with the local NHS services in the area.
This story has been adapted from original content published on www.bbc.com by The Lincoln Post.
