THE longest strike in NHS history led to more than 700 appointments being postponed by the trust which runs Clacton Hospital, it has been revealed.

Junior doctors downed tools for six days from January 3 as they called for better patient safety and a "35 per cent pay rise”.

This follows claims made by the British Medical Association doctors were subjected to a 26.1 per cent pay cut between 2008 and 2022.

As a result of the strikes, the East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation NHS Trust (ESNEFT) was forced to delay 675 outpatient appointments and 64 inpatient appointments.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Affected - Colchester HospitalAffected - Colchester Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

Across the UK meanwhile, NHS England data shows more than 113,000 patient operations, appointments, and procedures were postponed as a result of workers downing tools.

Nick Hulme, ESNEFT boss, said: “Our teams have worked tirelessly to keep patients safe during the recent strikes.

“All that hard work doesn’t stop now that the latest rounds of industrial action are over.”

Mr Hulme also said ESNEFT would be “feeling the impact of the longest strike action in NHS history for weeks and months to come”, but would be “rebooking any postponed elective appointments as quickly as we can”.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Impact - CEO of ESNEFT Nick Hulme said the trust would be feeling the impacts of the January strike for weeks and months to come Impact - CEO of ESNEFT Nick Hulme said the trust would be feeling the impacts of the January strike for weeks and months to come (Image: Submitted)

“It's so important these people receive the tests, checks and treatment they need without further delay," added Mr Hulme, who also said the demand for services was high with respiratory viruses such as flu and COVID-19 “on the rise”.

"While pay is a matter for Government and the trade unions, we want to see a resolution as soon as possible."

Before the strike, the BMA said the government could have avoided disruption to patients by presenting a "credible offer, especially if there was, as suggested by the Secretary of State, another offer for them to make.”

Since the health service strikes started in December 2022 a total of 1,333,221 rescheduled inpatient and outpatient appointments have been recorded.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said the national running total “significantly underestimates” the more accurate impact to patients number “because actually a lot of trusts pre-emptively didn't make appointments in the first place”.