Midlands doctors join strike action

Doctors at scores of practices in the West Midlands and Staffordshire today joined thousands nationwide in industrial action protesting against planned changes to their pensions.

Doctors at scores of practices in the West Midlands and Staffordshire today joined thousands nationwide in industrial action protesting against planned changes to their pensions.

Of the 236 practices covered by the Black Country Cluster of PCTs - which covers Sandwell, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Walsall - 32 were known to be taking part in the strike.

Around 50 doctors at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals Trust were striking, along with 17 of their collegues at the Dudley Group and 25 at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust.

Eleven outpatient clinics at New Cross Hospital were rescheduled, affecting around 100 people, and nine planned operations were rearranged.

Trust bosses said they had put contingency plans in place and all emergency and urgent care was being provided. As always, we put contingency plans in place to ensure that services to patients continue with minimum disruption, chief executive David Loughton said.

One in four Walsall doctors were said to be joining thousands nationwide today in industrial action over planned changes to their pensions.

Bosses at Walsall Manor Hospital said they had been putting contingency plans in place over the past week.

A total of 80 out of 1,381 outpatient appointments have been cancelled, 15 appointments have been scrapped in community clinics but none of the 77 planned operations have been affected.

Five GP surgeries in Dudley are known to be taking part in the strike and only offering emergency and urgent appointments. The other 48 practices are open as normal.

Some routine operations and outpatient clinics have also been rescheduled at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley where 17 doctors were taking part in the industrial action.

Meanwhile in Worcestershire 16 out of the 66 surgeries are taking part in the strike and only providing emergency and urgent care.

Fourteen operations and seven outpatient appointments have been cancelled at Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre as a result of the action.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell, City and Rowley Regis hospitals, said around 25 senior medical staff were striking, as health workers took part in industrial action for the first time in almost 40 years.

All 188 surgeries across Staffordshire were open today but some were forced to provide a reduced service, treating only urgent cases, as health workers joined took part in a strike for the first time in almost 40 years.

Some routine operations and outpatient clinics have also been rescheduled while patients have been warned of knock-on delays at clinics and A&E departments.

British Medical Association representative for the Midlands Fay Wilson said: "Between one in three and one in four doctors in the West Midlands area were taking part in the industrial action.

"However a number of GP practices are not saying in advance whether they will be taking part because they don't have to."

She added that many surgeries were reporting to be busier than usual yesterday afternoon with people possibly anticipating problems in getting seen today.

A&E units, maternity services, X-ray and other diagnostic testing will not be affected.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today condemned the action and said the pension offer was fair. "Doctors should be paid well, they do a tough job and I have a tremendous respect for what they do. But half are earning over £100,000 a year and their pension is still going to be extremely good."

By Lisa O'Brien