'Month of worry' over doctor strike surgery delay

'Month of worry' over doctor strike surgery delay3 days agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMark Denten,in WashingtonandEvie Lake,North East and CumbriaBBCTom Lawson said he has had three heart attacks while waiting for gastric surgeryA patient due to have gastric bypass surgery said he faces a "month of worry" because his treatment has been delayed due to strike action by resident doctors.Tom Lawson, 45, from Washington near Sunderland, said he has suffered three heart attacks while waiting more than three years for the surgery, which has now been pushed back to May.He said postponing the procedure, due to take place at Sunderland Royal Hospital this week, was delaying his return to work and "a productive lifestyle".The latest six-day action by British Medical Association (BMA) members is the 15th strike since 2023 after talks with the government broke down over new pay and training deals.The BMA said not enough has been done to address concerns about pay and job shortages, while the government said doctors' expectations are unreasonable and unrealistic.Lawson, whose surgery was originally scheduled for the coming weekend, said: "It was kind of like being hit with a sledgehammer."While he understood the reasons for the strike, he said it would have a knock-on effect as his surgery, now scheduled for when his son is sitting his GCSEs, will impact his ability to get back to work."Ultimately, the impact on me personally is another month of worry," Lawson said."It's the whole fundamental reasoning behind wanting to have this procedure, to allow me to get some of my health back - to allow me to get back into employment and get back into a productive lifestyle."'Incredibly frustrating'Formerly called junior doctors, in the last four years resident doctors have had a 33% pay increase in a series of deals.The government said industrial action is costing the NHS £50m per day.Striking outside t...