GMC right to be ‘extremely concerned’ about the impact strikes will have on patients
05 September 2016
- The General Medical Council has issued a statement and advice to doctors on industrial action after the British Medical Association agreed to a further rolling programme of industrial action
- The GMC says it is 'extremely concerned' about the impact which the industrial action will have on patients' care and on the public's trust in doctors
- The latest advice covers those contemplating industrial action as well as doctors in leadership roles, senior doctors and those not in training
- NHS Providers shares the GMC's view that the scale of action planned at such short notice cannot be justified
GMC chair, Professor Terence Stephenson said the regulator recognises the frustration and alienation of doctors in training and their legal right to take industrial action. However, he said they are "extremely concerned" about the impact which this prolonged campaign of industrial action will have on patients' care and on the public's trust in doctors.
Prof Stephenson added that the GMC does not believe that the scale of action planned at such short notice can be justified and called on every doctor in training to pause and consider the implications for patients.
GMC chief executive and registrar Niall Dickson set out the latest GMC advice for doctors, covering those contemplating industrial action as well as doctors in leadership roles, senior doctors and those not in training.
Commenting on the guidance and statement from the GMC, NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said:
“The GMC is right to be ‘extremely concerned’ about the impact the series of strikes by junior doctors will have on patients. We share the GMC’s view that the scale of action planned at such short notice cannot be justified. This unprecedented level of strike action will cause major disruption and risk patient safety – it will lead to an estimated 125,000 lost operations and just over one million lost outpatient appointments. The GMC are therefore right to urge every doctor in training to pause and consider the implications for patients.”
This unprecedented level of strike action will cause major disruption and risk patient safety
On Friday, NHS Providers and NHS Confederation, the organisations that represent NHS hospital, community, mental health and ambulance service trusts in England, formally called on the BMA to reconsider the proposed strikes.
Chris Hopson added:
“Along with the GMC, we believe that patients will suffer as a result of the extensive scale and prolonged nature of the strikes. While every junior doctor has the right to take this action, our board and the trusts we represent ask the BMA to reconsider the proposed strikes for the sake of patients.”