Latest news with #appointments
BBC News
6 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Royal Berkshire NHS Trust boss apologies after doctor strikes
A hospital boss has apologised after it was revealed more than 500 appointments and procedures were postponed as a result of a nationwide total, 479 outpatient appointments and 33 procedures had to be rescheduled at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading as a result of the five-day walkout by resident executive of Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Steve McManus apologised, adding that, for some patients, the rescheduling of their appointments had the potential to cause "real harm".On Wednesday, the British Medical Association (BMA) and Health Secretary Wes Streeting agreed to resume talks. "My door is open to the BMA leadership to resume the talks we were having last week, before they walked out," the health secretary said."After a 28.9% pay rise over the last three years, we simply cannot go further on pay this year, but there are real improvements to resident doctors working lives we can work hand in hand to make - from training positions to career progression and beyond." 'Significant inconvenience' The postponed appointments and procedures accounted for about 6% of the hospital's activity during the five-day walkout, Mr McManus said."At the very least there's a significant level of inconvenience, through to the potential for real harm, given the fact that some of those patients, their referral will have been on a cancer pathway," he said."We've already started the process of getting patients rebooked, but of course there's a knock on effect... it's not just about keeping our hospital services safe during that period."He thanked staff who had "tried really hard" to ensure as many appointments were kept as possible."It's really good to hear that the BMA are coming back to the table with government, with a hope that we will avoid further disruption and the impact it has," he BBC has approached the BMA and NHS England for comment, but the union previously said it had no choice but to call the strike, accusing the government of refusing to negotiate on pay. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
LBCI
a day ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Supreme Judicial Council approves judicial appointments draft and refers It to Justice Minister for issuance
The media office of Lebanon's Supreme Judicial Council issued a statement on Wednesday announcing that the council has finalized and approved its draft of judicial appointments and transfers, following two months of intensive deliberations. The statement noted that this decision follows up on the council's April 15, 2025 announcement, in which it called on judges to support the council's new direction by upholding judicial integrity and reviving judicial work. At that time, the council had also approved objective criteria for judicial appointments and transfers, and issued partial appointments for heads of chambers at the Court of Cassation and chief judges in the provinces. After almost daily meetings that began on June 2, the council completed a comprehensive judicial reshuffle affecting 524 judges. The final draft, approved in a session held on July 30, 2025, was the result of unanimous agreement among council members. The council emphasized that the process remained free of external interference and was based entirely on objective standards. The council stated it will closely monitor the performance of the newly assigned judges over a short period of no more than six months. Judges who fail to meet their duties and uphold their judicial oath will face consequences accordingly. The draft decree has been officially submitted to the Minister of Justice, in line with the legal process, which requires that relevant authorities only receive the document once it has been completed and signed by the council. The new appointments are set to take effect at the beginning of the upcoming judicial year on September 16, 2025. The Supreme Judicial Council expressed hope that this reform will pave the way for a more effective and productive judiciary, aimed at holding violators accountable, delivering justice, and restoring public trust in the judicial system. It reiterated that judges' performance will remain under review and that appropriate action will be taken when necessary.
LBCI
a day ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Highlights of Lebanon's new judicial appointments following council approval
The Higher Judicial Council has approved the judicial appointments and transfers draft and referred it to Justice Minister Adel Nassar. The most prominent judicial appointments are as follows: * Government Commissioner to the Military Court: Claude Ghanem * Appellate Public Prosecutor in Beirut: Raja Hamoush * President of the Indictment Chamber in Beirut: Kamal Nassar * Appellate Public Prosecutor in Mount Lebanon: Sami Sader * Appellate Public Prosecutor in North Lebanon: Hani Helmi Al-Hajjar * First Investigative Judge in North Lebanon: Naji Al-Dahdah * President of the Criminal Court in North Lebanon: Rabih Al-Husseini * Appellate Public Prosecutor in the Bekaa: Marcel Haddad * Appellate Public Prosecutor in Nabatieh: Najat Abou Chakra * Appellate Public Prosecutor in South Lebanon: Zahra Hammadeh
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Strike-hit appointments will take two weeks to rearrange, says NHS chief
Appointments that are cancelled because of strikes will take two weeks to rearrange, according to an NHS chief. Prof Meghana Pandit, NHS England's co-national medical director (secondary care), claimed on Saturday that hospitals would 'trust their best to get appointments rescheduled within two weeks'. Up to 50,000 junior doctors, now known as resident doctors, joined a five-day walkout from 7am on Friday, in a fight for a 29 per cent pay rise. More than 1.5 million appointments and operations have been postponed because of NHS walkouts since 2022. Prof Pandit told BBC Breakfast on Saturday morning: 'If there's any rescheduling or postponement of surgery or appointments then the hospitals try their upmost best to get that appointment rescheduled within two weeks. 'I know it is distressing and even two weeks is too long for somebody to wait and actually that has an impact on the people who who are then displaced at that two week period.' Prof Pandit said there were three 'derogations' granted on Friday, a process which allows hospitals to request striking doctors return to work if there is a risk to patient safety. Nottingham City Hospital reached an agreement with the British Medical Association (BMA) to exempt one doctor from the strike to work on the neonatal intensive care unit. A derogation was agreed for one doctor in the emergency department and another doctor in the ISGM at the Northern General Hospital. The BMA said it had also agreed a derogation for two anaesthetists to work at University Hospital Lewisham on Saturday to ensure patient safety. It comes as Wes Streeting said 'we are doing everything we can to minimise' patient harm. The Health Secretary condemned the strike as 'reckless' and said the Government would not allow the BMA to 'hold the country to ransom'. Sir Keir Starmer made a last-minute appeal to resident doctors, saying the strikes would 'cause real damage'. He added: ' Most people do not support these strikes. They know they will cause real damage. 'These strikes threaten to turn back the clock on progress we have made in rebuilding the NHS over the last year, choking off the recovery.' The BMA has argued that real-terms pay has fallen by around 20 per cent since 2008, and is pushing for full 'pay restoration'. Dr Tom Dolphin, the BMA council chairman, said he was 'disappointed' to see the Government 'taking such a hard line against unions', after The Telegraph revealed Mr Streeting told NHS Leaders strikes should not be 'pain free' for doctors. The BMA claimed the Health Secretary's remarks indicated the Government could be 'intent on breaking blacklisting laws by stopping resident doctors who take part in industrial action from picking up shifts afterwards'. In previous strikes, junior doctors, who now go by the name of resident doctors, have been able to earn large sums by getting overtime rates to clear backlogs, while others have worked as locums during walkouts. Medics have also been able to continue up the ranks despite missing training during strikes. But the NHS will now change stance on both, with hospitals requiring more doctors to work during strikes in order to protect patient safety. Doctors will also be warned that repeated absence from the front line could slow their career progression. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Dr Dolphin said: 'It's very disappointing to see a Labour government taking such a hard line against trade unions. 'The settlement last year was a good move by the Labour Government. The problem is they've gone back on their position since then. They're talking about punishing the trade union, talking about punishing doctors, holding them back in their training, making sure that they don't get locum shifts, that kind of thing. 'People are talking about that – which, of course, is not legal. And if we find cases of people being held to detriment for having taken part in strikes, we'll be fighting their case for them. It's just disappointing to hear that kind of rhetoric coming from a Labour administration.' A spokesman for the Department for Health and Social Care said the Government supported NHS workers' right to strike, saying: 'The Government is committed to upholding the legal rights of all workers, including NHS staff, to take industrial action. 'The BMA's choice to pursue five days of strike action will cause harm for patients and staff having to cover absent resident doctors. It is irresponsible to walk out after the largest pay increase in the public sector, while talks were ongoing about conditions that would have had a material financial benefit to their members.'
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
NHS: Strike-hit appointments to be rebooked in two weeks but will impact others
NHS England has said hospitals are aiming to reschedule appointments cancelled due to strikes within two weeks, but warned of knock-on impacts for other patients. Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS England's co-national medical director (secondary care), said that despite the five-day walkout by thousands of resident doctors in England, which began on Friday, local trusts have managed to maintain services with 'minimal disruption'. She told BBC Breakfast: 'If there's any rescheduling or postponement of surgery or appointments then the hospitals try their upmost best to get that appointment rescheduled within two weeks. 'I know it is distressing and even two weeks is too long for somebody to wait and actually that has an impact on the people who who are then displaced at that two week period.' Prof Pandit said there were three 'derogations' granted on Friday, a process which allows hospitals to request striking doctors return to work if there is a risk to patient safety. Nottingham City Hospital reached an agreement with the British Medical Association (BMA) to exempt one doctor from the strike to work on the neonatal intensive care unit. A derogation was agreed for one doctor in the emergency department and another doctor in the ISGM at the Northern General Hospital. The BMA said it had also agreed a derogation for two anaesthetists to work at University Hospital Lewisham on Saturday to ensure patient safety. It comes as Wes Streeting said 'we are doing everything we can to minimise' patient harm. The Health Secretary condemned the strike as 'reckless' and said the Government would not allow the BMA to 'hold the country to ransom'. Sir Keir Starmer made a last-minute appeal to resident doctors, saying the strikes would 'cause real damage'. He added: 'Most people do not support these strikes. They know they will cause real damage… 'These strikes threaten to turn back the clock on progress we have made in rebuilding the NHS over the last year, choking off the recovery.' The BMA has argued that real-terms pay has fallen by around 20% since 2008, and is pushing for full 'pay restoration'.
