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| Junior doctors' strike risks patient safety - Jeremy Hunt | Junior doctors' strike risks patient safety - Jeremy Hunt |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Planned all-out strikes by junior doctors in England this week could threaten the safety of patients, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned. | Planned all-out strikes by junior doctors in England this week could threaten the safety of patients, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned. |
| Hospitals are making final preparations for the latest walkouts - on Tuesday and Wednesday - when emergency care will be affected for the first time. | Hospitals are making final preparations for the latest walkouts - on Tuesday and Wednesday - when emergency care will be affected for the first time. |
| Mr Hunt said the "extreme" action would be "deeply worrying for patients". | Mr Hunt said the "extreme" action would be "deeply worrying for patients". |
| The BMA said it would call off the strike if Mr Hunt's threat to impose a contract on junior doctors was lifted. | The BMA said it would call off the strike if Mr Hunt's threat to impose a contract on junior doctors was lifted. |
| Junior doctors are planning two one-day strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday - walking out between 08:00 BST and 17:00 BST each day. | Junior doctors are planning two one-day strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday - walking out between 08:00 BST and 17:00 BST each day. |
| If they go ahead, it will be the first time in the history of the NHS that junior doctors have walked out of accident and emergency units, urgent maternity services, resuscitation and mental health crisis teams. | If they go ahead, it will be the first time in the history of the NHS that junior doctors have walked out of accident and emergency units, urgent maternity services, resuscitation and mental health crisis teams. |
| Junior doctors' row: The dispute explained | Junior doctors' row: The dispute explained |
| Will all-out strikes be Armageddon? | |
| Was a deal with doctors ever possible? | Was a deal with doctors ever possible? |
| Special report page on the dispute | Special report page on the dispute |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Hugh Pym, BBC health editor | By Hugh Pym, BBC health editor |
| Junior doctors seem set on pushing on with their campaign, convinced the new contract will not protect them from pressure to work excessive hours. | Junior doctors seem set on pushing on with their campaign, convinced the new contract will not protect them from pressure to work excessive hours. |
| They resent the suggestion that contract changes are required to improve hospital services at weekends. | They resent the suggestion that contract changes are required to improve hospital services at weekends. |
| They say they are confident that all-out strikes will not harm patients because they have been reassured by consultant colleagues that their absence will be covered. | They say they are confident that all-out strikes will not harm patients because they have been reassured by consultant colleagues that their absence will be covered. |
| It's hard to see how an agreement will be shaped. | It's hard to see how an agreement will be shaped. |
| Both sides will closely monitor public reaction to the action this week and whether some junior doctors ignore the strike call. | Both sides will closely monitor public reaction to the action this week and whether some junior doctors ignore the strike call. |
| Then the BMA will decide how to continue its industrial action and whether to escalate it even further. | Then the BMA will decide how to continue its industrial action and whether to escalate it even further. |
| Read more from Hugh | Read more from Hugh |
| Strike action so far has affected routine care, but not urgent care. | Strike action so far has affected routine care, but not urgent care. |
| Advice published by NHS England says A&E departments will be open during the strike, while GP practices "may experience greater demand than normal" during the walkout. | Advice published by NHS England says A&E departments will be open during the strike, while GP practices "may experience greater demand than normal" during the walkout. |
| Essential care will be provided by consultants and other senior staff during the strike. | Essential care will be provided by consultants and other senior staff during the strike. |
| Patients with planned treatments and outpatient appointments during the strikes should be contacted by their hospital, the advice stated. | Patients with planned treatments and outpatient appointments during the strikes should be contacted by their hospital, the advice stated. |
| Some 112,856 outpatient appointments and 12,711 planned operations are set to be delayed due to the action, NHS England says. | Some 112,856 outpatient appointments and 12,711 planned operations are set to be delayed due to the action, NHS England says. |
| 'Enormous strain' | 'Enormous strain' |
| The latest round of strikes follow a long-running row about a controversial new contract for junior doctors in England. | The latest round of strikes follow a long-running row about a controversial new contract for junior doctors in England. |
| Mr Hunt has argued that he wants to improve care on Saturdays and Sundays, saying research shows patients are more likely to die if they are admitted during a weekend. | Mr Hunt has argued that he wants to improve care on Saturdays and Sundays, saying research shows patients are more likely to die if they are admitted during a weekend. |
| However, the BMA has so far rejected the proposed terms of the new contract - which will change their pay and conditions, particularly for weekend work. | However, the BMA has so far rejected the proposed terms of the new contract - which will change their pay and conditions, particularly for weekend work. |
| Mr Hunt has said he will now unilaterally impose the contract on junior doctors. | Mr Hunt has said he will now unilaterally impose the contract on junior doctors. |
| On Saturday, the health secretary wrote to Mark Porter, chairman of the BMA council, asking him to call off the strike and resume talks. | On Saturday, the health secretary wrote to Mark Porter, chairman of the BMA council, asking him to call off the strike and resume talks. |
| He wrote that the strike will place "enormous additional strain on our NHS at a time of intense pressure". | He wrote that the strike will place "enormous additional strain on our NHS at a time of intense pressure". |
| However, Mr Porter replied on Sunday, writing that a negotiated settlement "cannot take place with the threat of imposition hanging over our junior doctors' heads". | However, Mr Porter replied on Sunday, writing that a negotiated settlement "cannot take place with the threat of imposition hanging over our junior doctors' heads". |
| "If you agree to lift imposition while talks resume, we will immediately call off the industrial action", he wrote in a letter. | "If you agree to lift imposition while talks resume, we will immediately call off the industrial action", he wrote in a letter. |
| On Sunday, Mr Hunt also rejected a cross-party plan by MPs for a new NHS contract for junior doctors to be piloted first in an attempt to resolve the row. | On Sunday, Mr Hunt also rejected a cross-party plan by MPs for a new NHS contract for junior doctors to be piloted first in an attempt to resolve the row. |
| The letter was organised by Labour's shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander and was signed by Conservative Dr Dan Poulter, Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb and the SNP's Dr Philippa Whitford. | The letter was organised by Labour's shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander and was signed by Conservative Dr Dan Poulter, Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb and the SNP's Dr Philippa Whitford. |
| The last strike, which started on 6 April, led to more than 5,000 operations and procedures being postponed as a result of the 48-hour walkout. | The last strike, which started on 6 April, led to more than 5,000 operations and procedures being postponed as a result of the 48-hour walkout. |
| Are you a patient who will have treatment disrupted by this week's strike? Are you a junior doctor? Are you planning to take part in the strike? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. | Are you a patient who will have treatment disrupted by this week's strike? Are you a junior doctor? Are you planning to take part in the strike? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |