New Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has suggested she will take a new approach to dealing with NHS strikes and plans to find a “fair and reasonable resolution”.
In a video message to the NHS Providers’ annual conference in Liverpool, she told delegates she is “an optimist”.
Ms Atkins said she planned to work with staff to overcome the challenges in the health service and “take the long-term decisions that will build a brighter future for our NHS”.
She added: “And this is the approach I will take to industrial action.
“I’m acutely aware of how the strikes have disrupted patient care and I’m committed to getting around the table, because I want to see a fair and reasonable resolution.”
