More than 60,000 NHS appointments were scrapped – including those for cancer – were lost in just five days of industrial action last year, new figures reveal as the Health Secretary has urged doctors to reconsider strike action.The new data, seen by the Sunday Express reveals the devastating scale of disruption caused by the last walkout in July 2024, when over 63,813 NHS appointments and procedures were cancelled in just five days. Most of these included biopsies, blood tests and X-rays – essential for the timely diagnosis of potentially deadly conditions like cancer.
Last night senior sources close to the health secretary warned the same potentially devastating delays and cancellations could be repeated, or even exceeded, if further action goes ahead.
The June–July industrial action by the British Medical Association’s resident doctors – previously known as junior doctors — also saw a huge rise in costs for locum and consultant fees as doctors cashed in on extra pay for out of hours shift work.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the Sunday Express: “Strikes are the last thing the NHS needs right now, the last thing Resident Doctors need, and certainly the last thing that patients need.“Strike action should always be a last resort. So I’d say to the BMA – the government’s changed and the policies have changed. Your tactics need to change now. Work with us. There’s no need for strikes.”“These strikes are disastrous,” warned Professor Carl Heneghan, a leading clinical epidemiologist and urgent care GP based at Oxford University.
He added: “Intertwined in these figures are cancellations for some of the most serious conditions such as cancer. A four-week delay in diagnosis and treatment increases mortality for seven of the major cancers. A delayed test could mean the disease spreads before the patient is even rebooked.
““Strike action must be an absolute last resort. Doctors have a duty to ensure patients do not suffer because of their decisions. This crisis is forcing desperate people to pay for care – and some are being left behind altogether.”
A landmark BMJ study backs up his concerns showing every four-week delay in cancer treatment raises the risk of death by around 10%, with even short delays dramatically reducing patient survival.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has already ruled out meeting BMA demands for a 29% pay rise – on top of the 22% increase given last year. But the BMA insists strike action will continue unless the government caves.
Meanwhile, public support is waning. Just 39% of people back doctor strikes, down from 52% last summer, according to YouGov polling.
“This isn’t just about waiting a bit longer for care,” said one senior NHS consultant. “These are cancer checks, vital heart tests, mental health reviews. For some people, a delayed diagnosis is a death sentence.”
Co-National Medical Director for NHS England Meghana Pandit told the Sunday Express: “We know from the experience of last year that industrial action comes at a very real cost to patients, and the rest of the workforce, in terms of cancelled appointments and longer working hours to cover rotas.
“While it is of course the right of resident doctors to take such action, this should always be a last resort and staff and patients will rightly expect everyone does all they can to try to avoid industrial action.”

The new figures from NHS England show that the Midlands saw 8,111 appointments axed, while the North West lost 8,943 and the South East nearly 7,972. Manchester, Leeds, Oxford, and Liverpool were among the worst-affected hospital trusts. NHS insiders stress that these are not numbers on a spreadsheet – each one represents a patient left in pain or worry.