Harrogate District Hospital has spent almost £1m on temporary staff cover during the various waves of industrial action since April.
Harrogate hospital spends £1m on strike cover Harrogate District Hospital has spent almost £1m on temporary staff cover during the various waves of industrial action since April. Nurses, junior doctors, consultants and paramedics are among the hospital workers who have gone on strike this year over pay and conditions. Harrogate and NHS District Foundation Trust’s board met in Harrogate last week when its chief executive Jonathan Coulter discussed what impact the strikes have had at the Lancaster Park Road hospital. He said:
“The next strike will be the seventh wave for junior doctors and the fourth wave for consultants. 2,000 appointments have been cancelled and it’s cost £1m to cover the strikes.”After the meeting, a trust spokesperson confirmed the figure spent so far on staff cover is £923,000 during the period from April until August. Meanwhile, junior doctors and consultants have begun a joint 72-hour strike today, which represents about four-fifths of doctors working in hospital. The British Medical Association union says there will be “Christmas Day” cover to provide emergency care but there will be only minimal cover elsewhere. Following an independent pay review, consultants have been offered a 6% rise and junior doctors an average of 8.8%, depending on their level. But the amount being offered is far below what the BMA is calling for. Junior doctors are asking a 35% pay rise and consultants are believed to want a 12% rise. According to the BBC, it has been 100 days since health secretary Steve Barclay and the BMA have met to discuss pay. Mr Barclay has argued the pay offer is “fair” and that the strikes are harming patient safety. Harrogate hospital chief Mr Coulter urged both sides to come to an agreement as he said the impasse continues to have a “real impact on our services”. He added:
“Sadly there’s no signs of the strikes ending. We desperately need the government and the BMA to sort this out.”Junior doctors and consultants are taking part in a rally outside the Conservative party conference in Manchester this week. BMA chair of council Prof Phil Banfield said:
“We want to be serving our patients. But without the staffing levels, pay and conditions that lead to doctor retention, the cost and consequences of waiting lists will continue to get worse and worse.”By Thomas Barrett, Local Democracy Reporter Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
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