North East Doctors Shun Strike Action
21 June 2012, 16:51 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50
Doctors voted to go on strike for the first time in almost 40 years, but for most GPs in the North East, it was business as usual.
Over 85 per cent of GP practices are providing a normal, or near to normal service, with the remaining 15% treating urgent cases only.
As anticipated and already planned for, a small proportion of non urgent, planned operations (approximately 7.5%) and outpatient appointments (approximately 8.8%) have been rescheduled.
Local NHS organisations have contacted patients to ensure they are treated as soon as possible.
| No. of rescheduled, non-urgent operations | No. of rescheduled outpatient appointments | No. of GP practices providing normal / near to normal service | No. of GP practices treating urgent only cases | |
| NHS North Of Tyne | 48 | 144 | 98 | 13 |
| NHS South Of Tyne | 52 | 293 | 89 | 28 |
| NHS Co. Durham & Darlington | 18 | 144 | 75 | 9 |
| NHS Tees | 21 | 404 | 83 | 10 |
| NORTH EAST TOTAL | 139 (approx 7.5%) | 985 (approx 8.8%) | 345 (85%) | 60 (15%) |
On average, there are around 11,000 outpatient appointments and 1,800 planned operations every day across the north east NHS.
Phil Bain, head of emergency preparedness and resilience at NHS North East said:
"The NHS is always very well prepared for any additional pressure on services, including any industrial action. All north east NHS organisations have made every effort to minimise disruption for patients during today's industrial action.
Every effort is also being made to ensure that those patients whose care has been affected, have their appointments rescheduled at the earliest possible opportunity."
