Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the level of available resource within the NHS of (a) resident doctors, (b) consultants and (c) nurses in the event of strike action.

The National Health Service makes every effort through rigorous contingency planning to minimise disruption as a result of industrial action and its impact on patients and the public. Assessments are made by local Trusts about the level of resourcing, and they can escalate via regions and nationally, where appropriate.

NHS staff are not obliged to inform their employer that they will be taking part in strike action ahead of strike action taking place.