A patient said he felt let down after a cardiology appointment was cancelled during the resident doctors’ strike, as NHS England says cancer and urgent care should be protected.
A patient has said he feels let down after a cardiology appointment was cancelled during the resident doctors’ strike, highlighting the pressure the walkout is putting on some non-urgent care.
BBC News reported on April 7 that Stuart Sims was furious after his appointment was delayed because of strike action. The report lands as resident doctors across England are in a strike window that runs from 7am on April 7 to 6.59am on April 13.
NHS England says emergency care, urgent elective surgery and cancer care should be protected during the action. Regional guidance also says patients should keep coming forward for care unless they are told their appointment is being rearranged.
A local NHS trust notice said some routine or non-urgent appointments and procedures may be rescheduled during the strike, but patients who have not been contacted should attend as planned.
The case has become a patient-impact example of how industrial action can affect services even when the system is trying to shield the most urgent pathways. The official guidance is clear that cancer care should continue, but less urgent specialist appointments can still be moved.
For patients, the immediate message is to check appointment letters and contact the service only if they have been told their care is changing.
Revision note
Initial automated publication.