Junior doctors' strike: Atkins calls for talks to end action

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins meets staff at County Hospital Louth

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has called on junior doctors to end their strikes while on a visit to a Lincolnshire hospital.

Ms Atkins, who represents Louth and Horncastle, was at County Hospital Louth where she was shown the urgent treatment centre and endoscopy unit.

While addressing staff, she urged junior doctors to call off next week's planned six-day strike.

The Conservative MP said: "Come back to the table and we will get this done."

Ms Atkins, who became health secretary in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's November reshuffle, praised those working over Christmas.

She added: "All of the dedicated staff are working so hard to look after us all, and we're very concerned about the impact the strikes next week will have on patients as well as other healthcare staff who are picking up the slack.

"My message to the junior doctors is simple. Please call off the strikes.

"Come back to the table and we will get this done. "

'Faster, simpler, fairer'

The January walkout will be the longest in the NHS's history.

It coincides with what is traditionally one of the health service's busiest periods, with emergency services often under huge strain.

The British Medical Association (BMA) union wants a 35% pay uplift, to make up for what it says have been below-inflation rises since 2008.

While at the hospital, Ms Atkins was also shown an MRI scanner which was paid for by money raised by the local community.

Trevor Marris, the former mayor who led the fundraising campaign, said it had made a huge difference to people to be able to be treated close to home

"It is the most used MRI scanner in the whole of Lincolnshire They've had 25,000 patients in the last three-and-a-half years." he said.

"Staff say it means that people can be seen more quickly in their local area instead of travelling to Boston or Lincoln, so if they have a cancer diagnosis they can start treatment earlier which can be life-saving."

Ms Atkins said she wanted to see an NHS which was "faster, simpler and fairer" but that one of the key challenges was recruiting and keeping staff.

"We can have all these wonderful facilities but if we don't have the people who can deliver the services then we won't have the healthcare we all want," she said.

"Everyone here is local.

"It's a real tribute to the local area we have huge skills and huge potential here".