Doctors in Thame chose not to take part in the strikes on Thursday as they ‘did not want to disrupt patients’ care.
Across the country the British Medical Association (BMA), the union representing two thirds of doctors, took industrial action over cuts to their pensions, delaying thousands of operations.
This is the first strike action taken by doctors in around 40 years.
But while GPs at The Rycote Practice based at Thame Medical Centre share the same views as the union, practice manager Karl Savage said they are more concerned about providing a service.
“We support BMA’s case for industrial action, as we feel recent changes to the NHS pension scheme have made the scheme sustainable, so no change is needed,” Mr Savage said yesterday.
“We are however continuing to provide our patients with care all through the day.
“I wouldn’t know how many doctors are striking across the country as a whole –it’s hard to work out as across all the UK there is a mixture of striking and different types of industrial action.
“But we are focusing only on what we are doing, which is providing a general service.”
All GPs across the UK who took part continued to provide all urgent and emergency care during the industrial action, but postponed non-urgent work such as outpatient appointments.
Meanwhile, the Aylesbury Vale Clinical Commissioning Group is holding an event in Thame to gain people’s views on health services and how they can be improved.
The group, made up of clinicians from around the area, is headed up by Dr Graham Jackson, who has worked as a family doctor for more than 20 years.
“We really want to know what people think about improving health and these meetings will help to shape the way healthcare is delivered.”
The meeting takes place on Tuesday June 26 at Thame Town Hall 1-3pm.