Wales’ new First Minister urged to resolve pay dispute ahead of junior doctors 96-hour walkout next week

A planned four-day strike by junior doctors is set to take place in Wales ahead of the Easter Bank Holiday.

The Welsh Government has said it is working with NHS Wales and the British Medical Association to ensure ‘patient safety is protected’ while junior doctors take strike action for the third time next week.

From Monday 25th March, just under 4,000 junior doctors in Wales plan to undertake their third round of industrial action.

The 96-hour walkout will be the longest strike yet and cause further disruption to planned hospital care, which has cost £4 million for the first round of action.

The head of NHS Wales, Judith Paget, has warned the impact on services will be significant, and appointments and procedures will need to be rescheduled as a result. Urgent and emergency care will be provided for those in need during the industrial action.

A union representing doctors in Wales has urged the new First Minister to end the pay dispute ahead of the proposed strike action.

BMA Cymru Wales has written to Vaughan Gething on the day he was officially voted into the role as Wales’ First Minister (Wednesday 20th March) to congratulate him on his appointment but also to urge him to end its pay dispute with the Welsh Government ahead of further strike action next week.

In a letter to Vaughan Gething, BMA Cymru has outlined the most urgent priorities for doctors, with the union urging the new first minister to come back to the negotiating table and “present a credible pay offer to make good on Welsh Labour’s commitment to restore doctors’ pay which has been cut by almost a third in real terms since 2008/9.”

With senior doctors including SAS – specialist, associate specialist, and speciality – and Consultants set to follow with strike action in April, the BMA underlines the necessity of a fairer deal to both retain and recruit more doctors, a critical step towards addressing Wales’s record-high waiting lists and enhancing patient care.

The letter also sets out other key priorities, including providing a fairer portion of funding to general practice to prevent more surgery closures as this year is set to see 100 practice closures since 2013.

Improving patient safety by closing the significant staffing gaps in Wales’ hospitals, drastically improving the provision of unscheduled care including providing more ambulances, and tackling longstanding health inequalities in Wales were also outlined in the letter by BMA Cymru Wales’ Deputy chair Dr Phil White.

Dr White says to the new First Minister:

“Industrial action is a decision not taken lightly by our members and seen as a last resort. Wales, the birthplace of the NHS, is home to an underfunded and under-resourced health service. This is reflected in some of the longest waiting times in the United Kingdom, ultimately throwing safe levels of access to care and treatment into jeopardy.

“Your vision for a healthy Wales mirrors the ethos and vision of doctors across the country who strive to deliver this daily. However, as an Association, we are clear that this future cannot be achieved without the appropriate funding.”

On next week’s strike action, Judith Paget said:

“We ask people to use alternatives to emergency departments if their need is not critical during the strike period. Alternatives include NHS 111 online or by phone, and pharmacies.”

“If your appointment is not going ahead, your health board will contact you to let you know. If you aren’t contacted, please attend your appointment as planned.”

“Your local health board will provide the latest information in your area.”

It may take longer for GP and pharmacy services to process prescriptions during this period, so people are also being urged to act so they don’t run out of medicines whilst surgeries and pharmacies are closed on the bank holidays.

Judith Paget added:

“If you receive repeat prescriptions, plan ahead before the Easter bank holidays.”

“Make sure you order your repeat prescriptions at least seven days in advance.”