A&E to remain open as doctors' strike called off

A last-minute pay offer from the government has led to the suspension of a planned four-day strike by resident doctors at Cheltenham General Hospital, averting the temporary closure of its Accident & Emergency department.

Initially, the A&E was scheduled to close on Sunday at 8:00 PM and reopen on Monday as a minor injury and illness unit until Friday. However, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced on Saturday that the strike, set to begin at 7:00 AM on Monday, had been called off following the new offer.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that while it was too late to reinstate cancelled appointments for Monday, efforts were underway to reorganise those scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday. The trust acknowledged that some disruption would be unavoidable but stated that it was working to restore services as quickly as possible. Patients were advised to attend appointments as planned unless contacted directly.

Dr. Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA's resident doctor committee, welcomed the development but noted that further action remains possible. "All we have asked for is a fair offer that secures enough jobs to tackle the madness of doctor unemployment and take steps to address the erosion of our pay," he said. Fletcher added that tens of thousands of frontline doctors would now vote in a referendum to determine whether the offer was sufficient. If doctors reject the proposal, he warned that further strike action could be planned for next month.

Health Secretary James Murray described the new offer as a step toward resolving long-standing disputes. "The country simply cannot afford to increase the pay offer for this year," he stated. "I am pleased that the BMA has recognised this, which has allowed us to make progress in other areas, such as training places and working conditions."

The planned strike would have marked the 16th such action in an ongoing dispute over pay. The suspension of the walkout, originally set to last from Monday at 7:00 AM until Friday at 6:59 AM, follows weeks of negotiations between the government and medical representatives.

The NHS trust emphasized that while the late change in plans would cause some disruption, it was committed to minimizing the impact on patients. Further updates were expected as organizers worked to reschedule affected appointments.