Hospitals have seen the 'busiest Monday of the year' - despite being down on doctors as the major strike continues until Wednesday (March 15).
Some A&Es saw their busiest start to the week so far this year as strikes got underway yesterday (March 14), the country's top doctor has warned. 'Thousands of patients' will face postponements to routine care, including appointments and operations in both hospitals and GP surgeries amid sweeping industrial action by medical unions.
Some 64,000 junior doctors will be going on strike, making up half of the medical workforce. The term 'junior doctors' covers everyone who has just graduated from medical school to those with many years' experience on the front line, as well as GP trainees.
READ MORE: 'Many appointments and procedures postponed' as every hospital in Greater Manchester to be hit by doctors strikes
The country's leading medic is urging people to stay away from A&E if they can. NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “Emergency departments remained under severe pressure yesterday, and, while we are prioritising urgent and critical care, it's important to remember that GP surgeries and pharmacies are largely unaffected and that 111 online can help with many non-urgent needs.
“Some hospitals even saw their busiest Monday of the year so far for A&E attendance as the strike got underway yesterday, which presents a major challenge as our staff continue to do all they can to mitigate the impact of the industrial action for patients.
"As we see the impact of the most significant strike disruption in the history of the NHS, we're really grateful to the public for using services appropriately.
“If you need emergency care, please continue to call 999, and please do attend any GP or hospital appointments unless contacted otherwise. But the public can help us ensure that care can be delivered to those that need it most over the next 48 hours by using 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies only, and using NHS 111 online or calling 111 for non-urgent needs."
Hospitals in Greater Manchester are seeing pickets at Wigan Infirmary, Trafford General Hospital, the Royal Bolton Hospital, Fairfield General, the Royal Oldham Hospital, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Salford Royal, the Christie, Tameside General, North Manchester General Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital, Stepping Hill Hospital and Prestwich Hospital.
Emergency, urgent and critical care will be prioritised, says the NHS, as consultants are drafted in to fill the big gaps left by those on strikes. Junior doctors are asking for a pay increase to make up for 15 years of inflation, along with better working conditions which they say is driving people to leave the NHS, leading to dangerous short staffing and unsafe patient care.
The NHS says it will contact anyone who will need to reschedule appointments, so if patients have not been contacted then they should attend as usual.
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