A key priority for Mims Davies MP and this Government is to ensure our health services can continue to deliver vital services to treat and support patients at their time of need, particularly during challenging times.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP, has launched a consultation seeking views to inform decisions on whether to introduce regulations on minimum service levels in Great Britain, to protect patient safety in key hospital-based services during strike action.
The consultation seeks views on whether hospital services should be covered and, if so, which services should be included at what level. The consultation will also seek views on whether any health services outside ambulance services and hospital services should be included in minimum service levels.
The proposal is that most essential and time-critical hospital services should be covered by minimum service levels regulations. Currently, during strike action employers negotiate with trade unions to seek agreement to provide a certain level of cover for priority health services to protect life and health. These agreements, known as 'derogations', mean that certain staff members or groups of staff are exempted from strike action in order to provide the cover needed to care for patients at risk of harm.
There may also be greater risk when strike action is being taken in an ideologically motivated way as was suggested by one of the leaders of the BMA junior doctors committee earlier this year, and reaffirmed by the fact many Labour MPs have joined them on the picket line. Regrettably, our work to protect patients during strikes isn’t shared by Labour. At the TUC Conference, Labour re-affirmed their intent to repeal the Trade Union Act 2016 and the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 which would mean more industrial action and disruption across the public sector, including the NHS.
The consultation period will run until 11:59pm on 14 November 2023.
If you would like to share your views, please do so by completing the online survey.