Strikes by health staff are making workloads “more challenging” to handle, NHS England’s chief executive has acknowledged.Amanda Pritchard told the BBC that the ongoing industrial action is “clearly having an impact”.
But she suggested that all sides are “looking to try to reach a resolution”.Nurses in England walked out this week and ambulance staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are planning more strike days in February and March.During strikes at the end of last year and earlier this month, ambulance staff provided emergency cover but routine care has been affected.And this week, thousands of NHS operations and appointments had to be cancelled because of the nurses’ strikes in England.Over the two days of action, NHS England said 27,800 bookings had to be rescheduled, including 5,000 operations and treatments.Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Pritchard said: “As the strike action is extended over long periods of time, and as those dates start coming closer together, it does get more challenging, there is absolutely no doubt.”It is clearly having an impact. I think that’s obvious.”
(This article is taken from BBC.co.uk)