NHS England Urges Trusts to Maintain Elective Activity Amid Doctor Strikes

NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey has instructed hospital trusts to maintain at least 95 per cent of planned elective activity during the upcoming five‑day strike by resident doctors. The directive aims to ensure continuity of patient care and minimise the impact of industrial action on waiting lists and operational performance.

Balancing Industrial Action and Patient Care

The strike, expected to begin later this month, will be one of the most extensive periods of industrial action by medical staff in recent years. NHS England has asked trusts to prepare detailed contingency plans to sustain elective services, including the use of senior clinicians, redeployment of staff and rescheduling of non‑urgent procedures where necessary.

Sir Jim Mackey told regional leaders that while the NHS respects the right of doctors to strike, maintaining planned activity is essential to protect patients and ensure the system’s ongoing recovery from pandemic backlogs.

Operational Pressures

The announcement comes at a time of mounting pressure on hospital capacity. Winter demand is increasing, emergency admissions remain high and many trusts are still managing staff shortages across key specialties. Officials at NHS England said that maintaining activity levels during the strike will require collaboration between operational, clinical and workforce teams.

Trusts have been told to review elective lists, ensure prioritisation of long‑wait patients and maximise theatre and diagnostic efficiency. In areas where maintaining 95 per cent of activity is not feasible, regional teams are expected to agree mitigation plans and provide assurance on recovery timelines.

Context and National Response

The directive follows previous rounds of industrial action earlier in the year, which led to tens of thousands of postponed appointments and operations. NHS England’s leadership believes that experience gained during earlier strikes can now be used to protect elective recovery targets and reduce patient disruption.

Unions representing junior and resident doctors have indicated that pay, working conditions and staffing levels remain at the centre of the dispute. Government negotiations are continuing, though no agreement has yet been reached.

Looking Ahead

Sir Jim Mackey emphasised that the focus for the coming weeks will be maintaining service delivery while supporting local teams managing the industrial action. He also reiterated NHS England’s commitment to long‑term workforce reform, recognising that resolving disputes and stabilising staffing levels are critical to improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency.