NHS went ahead with 95 per cent of hospital appointments during doctors’ strike

The majority of hospital appointments went ahead despite almost 2,000 doctors going on strike for five days, according to the NHS.

More than 5,000 fewer patients were in hospital this Christmas Day compared to last year, with 78.8 per cent of beds occupied.

An average of 19,120 resident doctors were on strike each day between 17 and 22 December - slightly higher than the 17,236 average in the last set of November strikes.

Staff were concerned they would not be able to get patients home for Christmas, as the strikes took place the week before.

In a letter to the health service, NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey praised staff for achieving the target of having less than 80 per cent of hospital beds filled on Christmas Day, alongside battling the early rise in winter viruses.

“I am incredibly proud of our NHS staff who worked through the festive period to help thousands of people return home from hospital during Christmas week, so they could enjoy flu-free celebrations,” Sir Mackey wrote.

“It is even more remarkable when you consider the efforts put in by NHS staff to not only cover for resident doctors taking part in industrial action the week before, but to maintain the number of tests and operations carried out to almost 95 per cent of normal activity.”

But he said the hard work “can’t let up” as the next couple of weeks will be “tricky”.

“Whilst flu levels have come down a bit, hospital cases still stand at 2,676 and the cold weather snap will inevitably mean that we have a spike of patients needing our care as a result,” he said.

Health secretary Wes Streeting said he is “deeply grateful” to everyone in the NHS who “stepped up” and made sure patients were cared for “during a difficult winter”.

“But, with bitterly cold weather creating new challenges for the health service this week, there is still a long way to go and the hard graft doesn't stop here,” he added.

“Despite battling through the double whammy of a flu epidemic during industrial action, almost 95 per cent of planned care was delivered.”

The data comes with demand on the NHS remaining high as it manages the impact of a cold snap.

Data published last week showed it received the second-highest number of calls to 111 in two years on Saturday 27 December, with 87,318 calls answered.

A total of 414,562 calls to NHS 111 were reported as answered during Christmas week, almost 24,000 more than the previous week.

Mr Streeting has said he is “determined to resolve the BMA resident doctors’ disputes” for patients and staff.

“My door is open - as it always has been - to the BMA. In 2026, let's start with a clean slate and work together to improve working conditions for doctors, cut waiting lists, and build an NHS fit for the future,” he added.