LONDON (AP) — Patients faced canceled treatments after thousands of British doctors walked off the job on Wednesday, the start of a six-day strike over pay that was set to be the longest in the history of the state-funded National Health Service.

The management has announced that a large number of scheduled appointments and surgeries will be delayed due to the strike of junior doctors in England. These doctors, who are in the early stages of their careers and play a crucial role in healthcare facilities, intend to continue their walkout until 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

Experienced physicians and other medical professionals have been assigned to provide coverage for emergency, critical care, and maternity services.

“According to Julian Hartley, the CEO of NHS Providers, the strike coincides with a particularly challenging time for the health service, as it follows the holiday season and is compounded by high demand and the presence of both flu and COVID.”

According to him, the effect on patients will be considerable.

Over the past year, there have been numerous strikes in Britain’s health sector as employees demanded higher wages to compensate for the increasing cost of living. Labor unions argue that wages, particularly in the public sector, have decreased in value over the past ten years. Inflation rates reached double digits in late 2022 and early 2023, driven by significant increases in food and energy prices, which put many workers in financial hardship.

According to the union, recently licensed medical professionals make 15.53 pounds per hour (equivalent to $19.37) which exceeds the U.K. minimum wage of slightly over 10 pounds per hour. However, their salaries increase significantly after the initial year.

At a protest outside of St. Thomas’ Hospital in the heart of London, 28-year-old Dr. Georgia Blackwell expressed that stress and inadequate wages are causing many doctors to seek employment abroad.

She mentioned that many physicians are relocating to Australia, not only due to the higher salary, but also because of the improved work-life balance.

The strike has added pressure to the already overburdened healthcare system, which is still trying to rebound from delays caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Secretary of Health, Victoria Atkins, stated that the strikes have caused significant repercussions for patients. Over 1.2 million appointments have been rescheduled in the months since the start of the strikes.

It is challenging to measure the effect. Some argue that strikes causing delays in testing and treatment may have contributed to a rise in excess deaths in the U.K., which reached their peak in 2023 since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

While there is limited concrete evidence, it is believed that factors such as COVID-19 and an aging population may be contributing to a rise in fatalities in the United Kingdom and other nations.

Nurses, paramedics, and experienced physicians have come to agreements with the government regarding their salaries. However, the union representing young doctors has not reached an agreement and discussions ended last year. The government has stated that it will not resume negotiations unless the doctors cancel their strike, while the medical union, the British Medical Association, insists on receiving a legitimate pay proposal before negotiating.

Last year, the government granted doctors a pay increase of 8.8%. However, the union believes it is insufficient because the pay for junior doctors has decreased by over 25% since 2008.

“The idea that our only intention is to constantly call for strikes is not our goal,” stated Dr. Vivek Trivedi, co-chair of the Junior Doctors Committee at the British Medical Association. “Our objective is to reach a negotiated agreement that we can present to our members and have them agree to.”