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Northamptonshire health boss warns of strikes' 'serious impact'

Martin Heath/BBC Around a dozen men and women, some in hi-viz, standing in a line with placards outside a hospitalMartin Heath/BBC
Striking junior doctors have formed a picket line at Northampton General Hospital on previous strike days

Health bosses are warning that planned junior doctors' strikes will have a "serious impact" on NHS services.

Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), which plans and funds local services, urged people to prepare for the industrial action.

Doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA) are to walk out for three days from Wednesday in a dispute about pay.

The BMA said the government had been unable to present a credible pay offer.

Its latest strike will start at 07:00 GMT on Wednesday and finish at 07:00 on Saturday.

A further six-day strike has been scheduled to start on 3 January.

It follows the breakdown of talks between the government and the BMA, which is pushing for a 35% pay increase.

The Northamptonshire ICB said the strikes would mean longer waits and delayed treatment.

Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board Imogen Staveley, of Northants ICBNorthamptonshire Integrated Care Board
Dr Imogen Staveley, of Northants ICB, said emergency and critical care, mental health and maternity would be prioritised during the strikes

Dr Imogen Staveley, the interim chief medical officer for NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board, said: "Junior doctors are qualified doctors with up to eight years' experience working in hospitals or up to three years in general practice.

"They make up around half of all doctors in the NHS, so there is likely to be a significant impact on local services at a time when the NHS is already under severe pressure.

"During these upcoming periods of industrial action, we will be prioritising emergency care, critical care, acute mental health care, neonatal care, maternity and trauma."

Martin Heath/BBC Woman wearing orange BMA hat and blue t-shirt, holding a "not a fair wage" placardMartin Heath/BBC
Kiara Vincent, a local BMA official, joined the picket line at Northampton General Hospital during a previous strike

The ICB has apologised to those who will be affected by the industrial action, and has advised people to use alternatives to 999 where possible.

It has also urged people to check on vulnerable relatives and neighbours.

The BMA said: "We have been clear from the outset of these talks that we needed to move at pace - and if we did not have a credible offer, we would be forced to call strikes.

"After five weeks of intense talks, the government was unable to present a credible offer on pay by the deadline."

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