NHS faces appointment cancellations in junior doctor strikes

CVUHB has described a “very challenging” 72 hours ahead and having to make “incredibly difficult decisions” as junior doctors across Wales go on strike for three days from Monday, January 15.

The health board say they are prioritising urgent and emergency care and cancer services over the period.

Doctors in South Wales have described how they feel undervalued starting their careers on £14 an hour and, from Monday, they take part in a 72-hour walkout.

In response to the strikes, CVUHB has said they have had to make some “incredibly difficult” decisions.

A spokesperson for the health board said: “During what is expected to be a very challenging 72-hour period, the Health Board has had to put high-level priorities in place to ensure the continuation of safe and effective care for those patients who need us most.

“As a result, we are prioritising urgent and emergency care, then focusing on time-critical interventions and cancer services during the period of industrial action.

“To keep our services as safe as possible, we made the incredibly difficult decision to cancel most elective and non-urgent appointments and surgeries scheduled to take place over the course of those three days.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, and we recognise the distress and disruption this will cause to patients, particularly those who have waited the longest.

“However, it is essential that we are able to continue to provide safe and effective care to those patients who require our services unexpectedly as a result of a medical emergency, accident or injury.”

In an 'incredibly difficult decision' hospital appointments will be affected (Image: Google Maps)

Health minister Eluned Morgan says the offer made to doctors is at the limit of finances currently available to the government.

 “We are disappointed junior doctors have voted for industrial action,” said Ms Morgan, “but we understand the strength of feeling among BMA members.

“We would like to address their pay restoration ambitions, but the pay award offer we have made is at the limits of the finances available to us and reflects the position reached with the other unions.

"We continue to press the UK Government to pass on the funding necessary to provide full and fair pay rises for public sector workers.”

Read more:

• Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has promised to “minimise disruption” to patients in Gwent as junior doctors across Wales take part in a 72-hour strike.
• Royal Gwent Hospital doctor David Barron is among those set to take part in a three-day strike later this month has considered asking his patients whether he is “worth £14 an hour”
• NHS Wales, the BMA and the Welsh Government are working together to ensure patient safety is protected during next week’s junior doctors’ strike

CVUHB added that they will contact affected patients about their appointments in due course.

The spokesperson said: “Any patient whose appointment is cancelled will be contacted directly by the Health Board via text or phone call, and their appointments rescheduled for the earliest possibility.

“If patients who are due to have appointments over the course of these three days have not been contacted by us, their appointment will be going ahead and we would encourage them to attend as usual.”