Strike turnout is down, the chief executive of the NHS has said, as resident doctors continue their five-day action over pay and conditions.
Sir James Mackey said there are “some really encouraging early indications” that fewer resident doctors are striking than in any of the previous 12 rounds of industrial action.
Medics in England walked out at 7am on Friday and will return to work on Wednesday November 19.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has accused them of “inflicting pain and misery on patients” and holding them to ransom by going on strike.
In a letter to NHS leaders on Sunday, Sir James thanked staff for their “heroic efforts” to maintain services.
He said the NHS was achieving its goal of delivering at least 95% of planned activity during the period.
“It’s a genuinely impressive response to everything you’ve had to contend with,” he wrote.
The letter continued: “While turnout is variable across the country, there are some really encouraging early indications that there have been fewer resident doctors striking than in any of the previous 12 rounds of industrial action.
“We mustn’t become complacent and there is some really hard work directly ahead of us – but don’t lose sight of how remarkable the NHS response to all of this has been.”
The five-day action is the 13th walkout by doctors since March 2023, with the last strike in July estimated to have cost the health service £300 million.
Resident doctors make up about half the medical workforce in the NHS and have up to eight years experience working as a hospital doctor or three years as a GP.
The last time they went on strike more than 54,000 procedures and appointments needed to be cancelled or rescheduled, despite the NHS maintaining 93% of planned activity.
On Friday the BMA agreed to a derogation – where resident doctors are asked to leave the strike and work when patient safety is at risk – for maternity services in Nottingham.
Residents working on the labour ward at Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital will be derogated for shifts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
By George Lithgow, PA