Patients warned of England doctor strike impact

Manx patients have been warned of the potential impact of resident doctor strikes in England

Manx patients intending to travel to England for treatment have been warned to expect cancellations when resident doctor strikes begin on Friday.

On Tuesday, the British Medical Association (BMA) confirmed a five-day strike by resident doctors - the new name for junior doctors - would go ahead, with consultant doctors asked to cover duties over the strike period.

Manx Care said 151 patients were booked to travel to England for appointments on strike days, and about 75% - an estimated 113 procedures - would be cancelled, adding patients would be contacted directly if the appointments needed to be re-scheduled.

Urgent appointments, such as cancer treatment, would continue, the health body said.

Patients who are not contacted should "assume" their appointment is still going ahead, Manx Care said.

Since the announcement, NHS England has ordered hospitals only to cancel non-urgent care, such as hip and knee operations, in exceptional circumstances.

But the BMA believes plans to limit the number of routine treatments being cancelled will stretch senior doctors too thinly and could "lead to harm" for patients.

In England, resident doctors were awarded an average 5.4% pay rise for this financial year, following a 22% increase over the previous two years.

However, the union says wages are still around 20% lower in real terms than in 2008 and are demanding "pay restoration".

The UK's Health Secretary Wes Streeting said resident doctors had had the most-generous pay rises in the public sector for two years running, calling strike action "completely unjustified".

Talks had been taking place between the UK government and the BMA, with a focus on improving working conditions for resident doctors, before the union reaffirmed the industrial action.