00:00We did everything we could to avert these strikes, even meeting for hours with BMA officials yesterday
00:06to see if even at the 11th hour we could avert the strikes.
00:09After constructive discussions, we still weren't able to persuade the BMA
00:13either to come into negotiations or indeed to delay strikes to January, as I had offered.
00:21Our entire focus now is on keeping patients safe, particularly over the next five days of strike action,
00:26but also through what is the peak period for the NHS.
00:31I'm enormously grateful to frontline NHS staff who are there, ready, waiting to see patients.
00:38If you need medical assistance, please come forward.
00:41If it's an accident or an emergency, by all means, use A&E services.
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