Thousands of UK hospital doctors walk out in latest pay dispute, crippling health services
Thousands of senior doctors in England are staging a 48-hour walkout to demand better pay and conditions
LONDON (AP) — Thousands of senior doctors in England began a 48-hour walkout Thursday to demand better pay and conditions, paralyzing hospitals and leaving only emergency care covered.
The severe disruptions are the latest in months of industrial action by public sector workers amid U.K.'s ongoing cost-of-living crisis. They come just two days after junior doctors staged the longest strikes in the history of the state-funded National Health Service.
Thousands of operations and appointments have been canceled, and health officials say the impact of the latest round of strikes to hit the country's public health system is likely to be the biggest yet, because almost no work can be done at hospitals unless it's supervised by a senior doctor.
Senior doctors, known as consultants in the U.K., will only be “on call” for urgent work such as critical cancer care until Saturday morning.
