Junior doctors strike: 'Inevitable' delays predicted

Junior doctors walk out in an ongoing dispute over pay

Health officials in Lincolnshire are warning that disruption to routine hospital services is "inevitable" as junior doctors go on strike.

Under contingency plans local NHS staff will be moved into different roles to cover striking junior doctors.

The industrial action is part of an ongoing dispute over pay.

The walkout started at 07:00 GMT on Saturday and will end at 23:59 on Wednesday 28 February.

Rebecca Neno from NHS Lincolnshire's Integrated Care Board said their priority was to protect urgent and emergency care services, so that people who needed treatment could be seen.

However, she added that longer waits in emergency departments would be "inevitable".

The contingency plans would mean that some planned operations or outpatient appointments could be cancelled.

NHS Lincolnshire's Integrated Care Board says there will "absolutely" be cancellations of operations

This is the 10th strike by junior doctors since March 2023.

The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents junior doctors, wants a 35% pay increase - a proposal rejected by ministers.

The government has previously said strikes must be called off before negotiations can resume.

Ms Neno said: "I am not going to lie, it's a difficult period. Whenever you take out a section of the workforce, things don't work out as well."

"Our focus is on keeping people safe and protecting our urgent care services."

"Consultants and senior nurses will work to cover roles, but absolutely there will be some operations cancelled."

During the last period of industrial action in Lincolnshire, United Lincolnshire NHS Trust said 19 elective operations and 286 outpatient appointments were cancelled.

Why are the strikes happening?

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

Junior doctors received a pay rise averaging nearly 9% this financial year - and during talks at the end of 2023, the option of an extra 3% on top of that was discussed.

But those talks ended in early December without a deal being reached.

The health secretary Victoria Atkins, who is the MP for Louth and Horncastle said: "This action called by the BMA Junior Doctor Committee does not signal that they are ready to be reasonable.

"We urged them to put an offer to their members, but they refused.

"Five days of action will put enormous pressure on the NHS and is not in the spirit of constructive dialogue."

Nearly half of NHS doctors are junior doctors - a group that spans those just out of university through to some who have 10 years or more experience.

The BMA is balloting junior doctors on further industrial action beyond this strike.