Todays strikes, although almost averted at the last minutes have already had a knock on effect. GP practices have reduced their normal appointments to allow more time to deal with urgent care matters which Hospitals would be unable to deal with.
Hopefully a deal will be struck before the next time patients across the NHS are left without the care they need.
Some GP practices will reduce routine appointments to patients on the junior doctor strike days as a precaution in case of an increase in urgent care demand, Pulse has learned. Doncaster LMC medical secretary Dr Dean Eggitt said his practice is fully supportive of the strikes, but has already limited pre-booked appointments on 1 December, the first day on which junior doctors are due to walk out. The GPC has said it is not expecting a surge in demand at GP practices on the days of the industrial action, which will see junior doctors continuing to provide emergency care on 1 December, followed by a full walk-out from 8am to 5pm on Tuesday 8 December, and another at the same time on Wednesday 16 December.
