NHS Strikes – Potential impact of patient care and safety

The NHS strikes are something we have all become familiar with over past months. The doctors, nurses, junior doctors and union healthcare workers have been participating in frequent strikes for an increase in pay in line with the current inflation rate. With strike action taking place, it has raised concern over what happens to the patients and the care they receive.

Hospitals must ensure that during strikes there are minimum staffing levels to provide suitable care. However, there is concern that they will be understaffed if there is an influx of patients or need for care.

The strikes will also affect routine procedures and appointments for example hip/knee replacement operations, district nursing and mental health care. There is a potential risk to a patient’s care if the strikes cause significant delay, and have knock on effects to their health if an operation or consultation is postponed due to the strikes.

Many studies have been conducted over the years on the effect of strikes on patient health. A study in 2010 on the effect that clinical strikes have on inpatient care from the National Bureau of Economic Research, caused many to believe that clinical strikes are dangerous and risky to patients. It found that inpatient mortalities increased by 20% during strike action. This is contrary to a more recent study in 2022 by Essex et al. They suggested that strikes do not significantly change the rates of inpatient mortality.

We are unable to say whether the clinical staff strikes in theUK have or will directly lead to increased patient mortality. Although it will seriously undermine the principles of safe staffing and continuity of care which are two important aspects of patient care. This can lead to the overall quality of care being reduced over the period of time that the strike action is in effect.

Unfortunately, this may cause a rise in medical negligence cases, which are complex and will require specialist legal and medical advice, as the quality of inpatient care is reduced during the nursing strikes.  At Jordans, we understand that the consequences of medical negligence can be far reaching and can impact all aspects of a victim’s life.