A&E strike ‘risks harming patients’

Posted 29/03/2016 By: Julie Crossley

Junior doctors will put patients “in harm’s way” by withdrawing emergency care during strikes next month, health minister Ben Gummer has said. It will be the first time doctors have ever removed cover from areas such as A&E and intensive care. Previous junior doctors’ strikes have affected only routine care. It will mean consultants being drafted in from other hospital departments to staff emergency care, potentially causing huge disruption to routine services. The British Medical Association (BMA) said it had been left with “no choice” in its fight against the imposition of a new contract in England.

Mr Gummer told the House of Commons that “we will do everything in our power to ensure patients are protected,” but added “if you withdraw the number of doctors that will be withdrawn by the BMA in this action then there is an increased risk of patient harm”.

Julie Crossley, a medical injury lawyer at Ashtons Legal, comments: “Clearly the effect of this action will have an impact on routine care, care of patients already admitted and on outpatient clinics and on emergencies. This will leave the door wide open for avoidable claims and litigation”.