Thousands of treatments lost during nurse strikes

Thousands of NHS operations and appointments person had to beryllium cancelled due to the fact that of the nurses' strikes successful England this week.

Over the 2 days, NHS England said 27,800 bookings had to beryllium rescheduled, including 5,000 operations and treatments.

There were much than 30 infirmary trusts affected with immoderate saying betwixt 10% to 20% of mean enactment was lost.

They warned the quality was hampering advancement successful reducing the backlog.

Currently much than 7 cardinal radical - 1 successful 8 of the colonisation - are connected a waiting database for planned care, specified arsenic genu and hep operations.

During the strikes, nurses provided exigency screen but regular attraction was affected.

This included operations arsenic good arsenic outpatient appointments and check-ups.

Hospitals reported uncovering it astir hard to transportation retired country due to the fact that of the deficiency of theatre nurses and unit connected wards to supply post-op care.

At University College London Hospital, two-thirds of its operations and procedures were cancelled and 1 successful 7 outpatient appointments.

Overall, this meant astir 20% of its planned enactment for the onslaught days had to beryllium rescheduled, affecting implicit 2,000 patients.

At Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals 13% of their planned bookings were enactment back.

Other places the BBC contacted reported akin levels of disruption.

Saffron Cordery, of NHS Providers, which represents infirmary bosses, said the onslaught days caused "significant disruption" and were "some of the hardest" hospitals person had to header with this winter.

She said it would person a "big knock-on effect connected efforts to tackle the backlog".

"The ramifications spell good beyond the time itself. We are profoundly acrophobic by this pile-up of demand, which volition lone proceed with much strikes connected the horizon."

The RCN has announced 2 much strikes connected 6 and 7 February, involving adjacent much services.

This week's strikes progressive a 4th of hospitals, but successful February adjacent to fractional of hospitals volition beryllium involved.

Matthew Taylor, main enforcement of the NHS Confederation, which besides represents hospitals, added his members were "increasingly concerned" astir the dispute.

He said it was peculiarly dispiriting due to the fact that successful November, earlier the strikes had started, the NHS had yet started to marque inroads successful the backlog - the waiting database fell somewhat for the archetypal clip since the pandemic began.

"The longer this vicious rhythm continues the longer it volition instrumentality for the NHS to tackle the backlog."

RCN wide caput Pat Cullen said: "I'm atrocious that radical person had their operations cancelled. But look astatine the bigger picture, operations are cancelled each time of the week due to the fact that determination are not capable nurses.

"Nursing unit did not make this concern - it was the government's refusal to put successful nursing and tackle the workforce situation which has led america to wherever we are now."

Currently 1 successful 8 caregiver posts successful the NHS successful England is vacant.

The authorities argues it has awarded NHS unit the emergence recommended by the autarkic NHS Pay Review Body - 4.75% connected mean - and gathering the demands of the RCN, which wants 5% supra inflation, would hamper its attempts to get rising prices nether control.