NHS Confederation responds to industrial action announcement

2 Feb 2016 01:36 PM

Rob Webster, Chief Executive, NHS Confederation said, says the announcement of further industrial action is a bitter blow for people using the NHS.

“The BMA’s decision to go ahead with more industrial action next week is a bitter blow to people who use the health service. The move by the BMA to scale down the action and to provide emergency care will reassure NHS leaders that we can maintain safety but any form of industrial action is bad for patients. Patient safety must always come first and that will be the priority of managers and clinicians in every NHS trust across the country during next week’s action.

“Amidst financial pressures and increasing demand, the NHS cannot afford to continue to suffer as a result of this on-going dispute. It's unacceptable that patients are feeling the greatest impact. Significant progress has been made on many issues between the negotiators. It is critical that all parties commit to talk, compromise and work together to reach a resolution.”