The government could fast-track an NHS pay rise next year after 48 hours of historic strikes by nurses and paramedics, according to reports.
Thousands of nurses picketed on Tuesday while ambulance staff staged their biggest strike in 30 years on Wednesday, and the Daily Telegraph reported that Health Secretary Steve Barclay is poised to offer an expedited pay deal.
It comes after unions and ministers remained in stalemate over pay negotiations on Wednesday night.
NHS Providers warned the strikes will have a knock-on effect on appointments and said it expected a return to “very high numbers” of emergency calls in coming days.
The number of people phoning 999 appeared to have dropped in some parts of England on Wednesday and the membership organisation for NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services said there had been “varying levels of disruption” across the country.
NHS Providers also said some demand had shifted to other services or not materialised as expected.
But the organisation added that demand for care across the whole healthcare system remained high and trust leaders were reporting ongoing delays to ambulance services and overcrowding at some accident and emergency departments.
The Daily Telegraph said a source close to Barclay – who was criticised by unions for suggesting striking health workers had “made a conscious choice to inflict harm on patients” – revealed he is keen to “speed up the process” to give NHS staff a pay rise early next year to break the deadlock.
Unions have said they expect NHS workers to be offered a 2% increase next year, based on a letter sent by Mr Barclay last month to the NHS Pay Review Body.
At least 11,509 staff were absent from work across England during strikes by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on Tuesday, and 13,797 appointments and procedures had to be rescheduled, according to NHS England.
Thousands of ambulance workers took industrial action on Wednesday, with members of the military stepping in to take their place and trusts telling patients only to call 999 in the case of a life-threatening emergency.
The next ambulance strike is due to take place on December 28.
Workers across several other industries are also set to strike in the build-up to Christmas.
Christmas Eve will bring strikes from RMT railway workers from 6pm, and London bus workers at Abellio.