Cancer patient furious as strike delays appointment

Cancer patient furious as strike delays appointmentJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleGeorge Torr,East MidlandsandRob Sissons,East Midlands health correspondentBBCKaren and Stuart Sims said they are both frustrated and upset at a cancelled appointment due to the resident doctors' strikeA cancer patient said he was "furious" after his hospital appointment was cancelled due to a six-day doctors' strike over pay and job opportunities.Stuart Sims, from Breaston in Derbyshire, has neuroendocrine cancer and was given a cardiology referral after he was told he had a leaking valve in his heart in November.The 60-year-old was due to attend Nottingham City Hospital on Wednesday, but the appointment was cancelled due to the strikes and rearranged for next month.The British Medical Association (BMA) apologised for the disruption and said it was taking action, claiming the government had not done enough to address pay claims and concerns about job shortages.The BMA added resident doctors' pay is 20% lower in real terms than it was in 2008.Industrial action will start at 07:00 BST on Tuesday and run until 07:00 on Monday.Health Secretary Wes Streeting previously said the BMA's expectations were "beyond reasonable and realistic".A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said doctors had been offered a "generous deal", which coincided with the government accepting the recommendations of the independent pay review body that all doctors, including resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, should get a 3.5% pay rise from this month.Sims was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in 2021 - a condition which starts in nerve and gland cells.It has since spread to his spine and liver. He also said he has tumours on his heart.The appointment was to further investigate his heart valve problems. He told the BBC he had "psyched himself" up for his cardiology appointment and that he was upset and angry at...