London, 26 nov (EFE).-thousands of operations and medical consultations between patients and the British health service (NHS) will be cancelled or postponed by the strike of employees of the public sector on Wednesday, in protest at the changes in the pension system, confirmed today the British Government.
In England, some 60,000 non-urgent operations, medical appointments, clinical tests and reviews should be postponed as a result of the direct action, which predictably seconded the 30 day more than two million civil servants.
The NHS must choose to suspend or set its commitments to patients for other dates given that that day will be 20% less work if one-fifth of employees seconded unemployment labour.
In Scotland, at least 3,000 operations and thousands of appointments should be reprogrammed, according to data reflecting the average British.
Hospitals have alerted of such alterations through letters to their patients and has indicated that the emergency care will not be affected by the strike.
According to the British Health Ministry are expected to at least 5,500 interventions that are not urgent to be postponed.
Furthermore, it is expected that more than 12,000 patients see deferred their appointments to carry out testing, as well as 40,000 consultations.
The NHS said it will operate by centres of all the United Kingdom as if it were a weekend or a day, focusing on urgent cases and intensive care patients most in need of medical care, as those who undergo treatment of chemotherapy or dialysis.
Around 400,000 nurses and assistants, paramedics, physiotherapists and employees of support such as cleaning and administrative staff will join the strike to protest by the changes introduced by the Executive of David Cameron to the pension system
The coalition Government intends to raise the retirement age so that officials can not already start to receive his pension at age 60, increase individual contributions and reduce the amount to be charged in retirement, to calculate an average of wages received in life, rather than with the final remuneration.
Trade unions consider that these changes are “unjust” while the Executive defends them based on the argument that are necessary to keep the cost of the taxpayer because that people increasingly live longer.
According to the Minister of health, Andrew Lansley, “NHS and those who work for health services not should ever take steps that harm the interests of patients”.
“This is particularly irresponsible when continues having negotiations with the unions”, said today the Minister. EFE
