This is the unfortunate reality for thousands in England, where a recent strike by junior doctors led to the rescheduling of 67,034 hospital appointments over a five-day period.

The ripple effect from this industrial action means that nearly 1.5 million appointments have been delayed since the strikes began in late 2022.

While official figures show a staggering number of cancelled appointments, the true extent of the disruption is likely even greater.

Many hospitals have preemptively stopped booking surgeries and other procedures on known strike days, making the actual impact harder to quantify. NHS leaders, including Professor Sir Stephen Powis, emphasize that the visible numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.

As of April, NHS England reported that about 6.33 million patients were awaiting 7.57 million treatments, a slight increase from March.

To put this in perspective, the backlog before the pandemic was around 4.4 million.

The delays are particularly dire for over 300,000 people who have been waiting for more than a year, compared to fewer than 2,000 before COVID-19 upended the healthcare system.

The recent strike marks the 11th walkout by junior doctors since March 2023.

The British Medical Association (BMA) argues that the strikes are necessary to address the long-standing issue of pay not keeping up with inflation.

Despite three months of talks with the government, including mediation efforts, no agreement has been reached.

The BMA claims the government’s offers have been inadequate, leading to continued frustration among junior doctors.

Pay Discrepancies

Currently, junior doctors in their first year earn a base salary of £32,300, which rises to £43,900 after three years, and can reach £63,100 for the most experienced.

While the government previously offered an average 8.8% pay rise for 2023/24, with first-year doctors receiving a 10.3% increase, this was deemed insufficient by the BMA.

Additional offers, including a 3% increase, have also been rejected.

Efforts to Alleviate Pressure

Despite the strikes, NHS staff have been working tirelessly to prioritize urgent and emergency care.

Professor Powis expressed gratitude to the staff for their dedication to patient safety and reassured that efforts are underway to reschedule missed appointments as swiftly as possible.