I’m sure we’re all relieved the BMA has suspended the " industrial action " ( their words ) planned for the week of 12 September, having listened to the concerns of working doctors, patient groups and the public. The remaining programme of action remains in place, for now. They are not absolving the Secretary of State, who " continues to strive towards an uncosted, unfunded, unstaffed extended seven day service ".


The General Medical Council has no doubt influenced their decision. They have warned that it’s " hard to see how … the risk of harm and suffering to patients .. can be avoided " with the action still planned. The duties of a doctor are set out in the GMC " Good Medical Practice ", which says that doctors must make the care of their patients the first concern.


Clearly the scale and repeated nature of what is proposed means that patients WILL suffer. Not only emergency services will be affected, but also tens of thousands of operations and procedures, outpatient appointments and tests will be cancelled, if this industrial action continues.


Mick’s honest post here is an example of how one Forum member is suffering and fears further delays in treatment. He’s not alone.


Even if we are not NHS employees, and may not fully understand the issues involved, it must surely be in ALL our interests to hope that the government will return to negotiations and both sides to come to an acceptable compromise as soon as possible.