By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
The Chief Executive at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, which runs King’s Mill Hospital and Newark Hospital, has “grave concerns” if NHS industrial action continues through the winter.
Junior doctors and consultants staged a three-day joint walkout in England this week from October 2 to 4.
Last month the two groups went on a 24-hour strike together for the first time. They have also held industrial action separately.
The British Medical Association said its members would provide “Christmas Day” cover – meaning that emergency care is staffed but there is minimal cover elsewhere.
Paul Robinson, Chief Executive, said: “Christmas Day cover was maintained – but Christmas Day demands only happen on Christmas Day.
“Patient procedures are impacted and our colleagues are really feeling this.
“We clearly hope for a conclusion very soon. I have grave concerns if the action continues through winter.”
The Government announced a “final and fair” pay rise for junior doctors and consultants in the summer.
Consultants are being given six per cent and junior doctors an average of 8.8 per cent. No further talks are planned.
He said: “This is yet another unprecedented event.
“It comes at a real cost to our colleagues, our organisation and our patients.
“The national waiting lists now are close to eight million and the national cost is over one billion.
“No further action has been announced as far as I’m aware, there are also no talks in progress.
“This is a national dispute between the British Medical Association and the Government and we are rather caught in the middle of this.”
Mr Selwyn added his concern is for the patients who are waiting for operations.
A record 7.7 million people are waiting for hospital care in England.
He said: “The impact for some of them who have been waiting for an operation which then gets cancelled, and then gets cancelled again and again.
“I think it is easy for us to underestimate, that has an impact not just on that patient but across the whole family unit.”
Rachel Eddie, Chief Operating Officer, added: “I’d just reinforce the pressure it’s putting on all of us being able to address our other priorities at the moment, particularly going into a potentially very challenging winter.
“This affects all of our teams, the focus is on medical staff but the admin staff are having to deal with patient’s appointments being cancelled, sometimes multiple times.”
