NHS chief warns trusts in England are ‘stretched to limit’ amid strikes

Chief executive says further industrial action by junior doctors will hamper progress to reduce health service waiting lists

An NHS boss has warned that his trust is now stretching to the limit to provide safe care" in the face of continuing junior doctors' strikes - and warned that further walkouts would halt efforts to cut long waiting times.

Cutting waiting lists was one of Rishi Sunak's key priorities last year, with the state of the health service regularly coming top among voters' concerns. However, with the NHS in the midst of a doctors' strike and what many regard as its toughest fortnight of the winter, there are already warnings that further strikes could halt progress on waiting times.