A Yorkshire NHS leader has warned the health service is in its biggest crisis in the past 30 years – as tens of thousands of workers began the biggest walkout in the service’s history.

Sir Julian Hartley, the outgoing chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals, called for a “speedy resolution” to industrial action in an interview for the Voices of Care podcast by Newcross Healthcare.

He said: ““I think we are in a position both in terms of workforce, but also operationally, that certainly I've not seen before in 30 years of working in the NHS.

"The long-term implications for strike action as the NHS attempts to recover from covid are serious and significant. We need to see a speedy resolution to the industrial action.

Workers on the picket line outside Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton during a strike by nurses and ambulance staff. Picture date: Monday February 6, 2023. PA Photo. Nurses in England who are members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) are striking along with ambulance workers from GMB and Unite. See PA story INDUSTRY Strikes. Photo credit should read: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

"The consequences for the NHS if it continues indefinitely are serious, particularly in terms of the challenges that we're already facing in the urgent care pathway with the issues with ambulance attendances, handovers, crowded emergency departments and also of course the concomitant social care challenge.

"The NHS will be seriously hampered if industrial action continues in the way that it is happening right now.

“We obviously need to have a process of negotiation.

"There has to be an end game here. It can't continue indefinitely. And if it does, there'd be serious consequences for the NHS and indeed more broadly for social care too.”

It comes as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said strikes will continue for “as long as it takes”, while the Unite union warned of a “constant cycle” of industrial action.

Union leaders have implored the Government to act to prevent further strike action but ministers in England have indicated that they will not budge on one of the main points of contention – pay for 2022/23.

Nurses will strike again on Tuesday, ambulance workers again on Friday and physiotherapists on Thursday.

NHS leaders said it will be the “most disruptive week of strikes to date” – but urged people to seek urgent and emergency care if they need it and attend appointments as planned unless they have been contacted in advance.

during a visit to Kingston Hospital in south-west London, Health Secretary Steve Barclay appeared to rule out coming to a new agreement on 2022/23 pay.

“We have been discussing this coming year – from April – pay with the unions,” he said.

“We have this process through the pay review body; it’s an independent process and we’re keen to get the evidence so that that reflects the pressure that the NHS has been under and the wider context in terms of inflation.

“I don’t think it’s right to go back to last year, back to April, retrospectively. We should be looking forward to the pay review body that is taking evidence now and working constructively with the trade unions.

“It’s right to recognise that there’s been ongoing pressures on the NHS, inflation has been higher since last year’s pay review body process than was originally forecast in the spending review 2021.”

He added: “We accepted in full the recommendations made last year, we’re now submitting evidence to the pay review body for April and onwards.

“We want to work constructively with the trade unions in terms of this evidence, and that’s why we’ve been discussing these issues with them.”

Meanwhile, Downing Street said it wants to look forward and “not backwards” when it comes to negotiating on pay with health unions.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman, asked what is Rishi Sunak’s plan for ending the strikes, said: “We want to keep discussing how we can find a path forward with the unions.

“Our long-standing position is that above-inflation pay rises are not acceptable, given the impact it would have on taxpayers and the risk of increasing inflationary pressures.

“But we do want to find a path forward. We think the right way to do that is to talk about this year’s (2023/24) pay offer prior to evidence being submitted to the pay review body.”

Asked whether unions should “give up hope” of negotiating on 2022/23 pay, the No 10 official said: “I think we would say we want to keep talking about ways forward.

“We think it is right to focus on this year’s pay and not look backwards. As the minister said this morning, our door remains open.”

But Labour accused ministers of “sitting this one out” when it comes to negotiating with striking nurses and ambulance workers in England over pay.

Party leader Sir Keir Starmer, speaking to broadcasters at Airbus in Filton, near Bristol, said: “The widespread strikes today are a badge of shame for the Government.

“Nobody wants to see these strikes, nobody wants to be on strike – the last thing nurses want to do is to be on strike.

“What they do want is a Government that can show leadership, get around the negotiating table and settle this dispute.

Yorkshire NHS boss warns of biggest crisis in 30 years as strikes continue