CONSULTANTS and junior doctors in the NHS today began an unprecedented joint strike that will last until Wednesday.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt this morning called the mass walkout by the British Medical Association “completely unacceptable”.
Consultants (pictured) are on strike with junior doctors again this weekRex
It is the second time both grades of doctor have gone on strike together after they first did it on September 20.
NHS bosses say all planned operations and appointments will come to a “near standstill” because of the protest.
Jeremy Hunt was formerly the chair of the Commons’ Health Committee where he pushed for NHS reform and better working conditions for medics.
He also battled a junior doctors’ strike in 2015 and 2016 when he was Health Secretary.
He said today that patient safety will be “close to the line” during this week’s action.
Mr Hunt said on Times Radio: “I think we’re getting close to the line and I don’t think we should be taking any risks at all with patient safety.
“We’ve offered doctors an above inflation pay rise – it wasn’t the Government’s suggestion, it was a suggestion that came from an independent pay review body.”
More than one million appointments, operations and treatments have been cancelled since strikes began in December last year.
Hospitals are forking out millions of pounds covering the cost of ongoing strikes.
In some cases top doctors have been paid up to £7,900 for covering a single shift during strike action, The Times reported.
Mr Hunt said: “That is a huge sum of money.
“That money that is being paid to a doctor to cover that shift is money that can’t be spent on taking someone off the waiting list by giving them an urgently needed operation.
“That is why these strikes are so counter-productive when it comes to patients.”