NHS patients face major disruption over the next 48 hours as senior doctors in England begin their first major strike in nearly 50 years.
Consultant doctors along with hospital-based dentists will strike over pay from 7am on Thursday until 7am on Saturday.
It follows the longest period of industrial action in the history of the NHS by junior doctors across five days from last Thursday to Tuesday.
The NHS medical director warned the latest action would be one of the toughest strikes in the history of the service, with “routine care virtually at a standstill”.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis warned of the mass disruption expected across the NHS with consultants providing just emergency cover.
Apart from a brief dispute over pensions in 2012, senior consultants last took major long-term action in 1975 over their contracts.
Consultants are senior doctors who see patients but are also responsible for the supervision of junior doctors and other staff.
Patients have been warned a “significant amount” of planned care involving junior doctors will be affected because other clinicians cannot provide cover or carry out supervisory roles.
The British Medical Association said consultants will provide “Christmas Day cover” – meaning only an emergency care level of service.
NHS England said: “We are now entering the eighth month of industrial action across the NHS and staff continue to work hard to provide patients with the best possible care under the circumstances.
“Industrial action has impacted approximately 600,000 hospital appointments across the NHS with over 365,000 staff absences due to industrial action during this time.”
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How strike action impacts the NHS
What if you need urgent medical care?
The NHS states people should use NHS111 online to be assessed and directed to the right care.
If you do not have internet access, then the 111 helpline is available.
When someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, you should seek emergency care in the normal way by calling 999.
The NHS website states: “Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases.
“Patients should take advice from 111/999 call-handlers on whether there are circumstances where it is suitable for them to make their own way to hospital.
“During strike days, it is likely 999 and 111 call handlers will be very busy, this may mean longer call response times.”
GP services and pharmacies will be running as normal.
‘My door is always open’
On the strikes by senior doctors, Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “I hugely value the work of NHS consultants which is why we have accepted the independent pay review body recommendations in full, giving them a 6% pay rise this year, on top of last year’s 4.5% increase.
“My door is always open to discuss non-pay issues, but this pay award is final so I urge the BMA to end their strikes immediately.”