NHS data from West Suffolk Hospital and Newmarket Community Hospital reveals impact of December 2023 BMA junior doctor strike

New data has revealed the number of junior doctors’ who went on strike last week and the impact it had on patients in West Suffolk.

A report published by NHS England, yesterday, (December 27) showed a total of 848 outpatient appointments had to be rescheduled by the trust which runs West Suffolk Hospital and Newmarket Community Hospital, during the industrial action taken by the the British Medical Association (BMA)

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSNFT) also rearranged 52 elective inpatient procedures, which were meant to be carried out during the strike which ran between 7am on Wednesday, December 20 until 7am on Saturday, December 23.

Across WSNFT, 107 junior doctors were absent from work due to the strike between 7am on Wednesday, December 20, to 6.59am on Thursday, December 21.

A total of 124 junior doctors went on strike between the same time period from December 21 to December 22, then 120 between December 22 and December 23.

Between 7am on Saturday, December 23 and 6.59am on, Sunday, December 24, 130 junior doctors were absent due to the strike.

Ahead of the strike the BMA said it was calling for full pay restoration to reverse the steep decline in pay faced by junior doctors since 2008/9.

A further six-day full workout is planned from 7am on Wednesday, January 3, to 7am on Tuesday, January 9.

Matt Keeling, deputy chief operating officer for the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Regrettably, during the latest strike period, many appointments and procedures had to be postponed and the number of services provided reduced.

“I know that a postponement can be very worrying for our patients, particularly if they have been waiting a long time, and I would like to reassure them that we will be in contact to rearrange their appointment or procedure at the earliest opportunity. We prioritised the continued delivery of care for our longest waiting patients where possible, alongside our urgent and emergency services.

“As with all strikes, we continue to implement tried and tested plans to ensure we maintain safe patient care and we will again prioritise urgent and emergency care to ensure those in life-saving emergencies can receive the best possible care during next week’s strikes.

“If we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned. We will always contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action.”

East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which runs Ipswich Hospital, has also been impacted by the BMA action.