Thousands of ops cancelled as Leeds doctors walk out

The full scale of the disruption can be revealed as junior doctors’ leaders threaten to hold more strikes next month due to a lack of Government response over their concerns.

In Leeds alone more than 2,000 outpatient appointments were cancelled in April and more than 300 day or inpatient cases throughout the course of the action over a new contract imposed by the Government.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust also postponed 2,673 outpatient appointments, the figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show.

Katherine Murphy of The Patients Association, said: “The findings reveal the unfortunate impact on patients who may have waited a considerable time for their appointment. Daily news of additional pressures facing the NHS, appointment cancellations caused as a result of industrial action, and the prospect of further industrial action later this year compromises the safety and wellbeing of patients.

“This ongoing debacle needs to be resolved urgently to reduce the impact on patients.”

The dispute is over a new contract that the government announced would be imposed from the summer. This followed the breakdown of talks between the two sides.

Earlier this month representatives of junior doctors called on their union to authorise fresh industrial action.