Patients on Thursday (June 21) had appointments and surgery cancelled due to doctors boycotting non-urgent care in a dispute over pensions. There was relief, however, that the total impact of the day of action across Britain appears to be more limited than feared. Doctors had been wrong to “penalise” patients, said Health Secretary Andrew Lansley. In reply, unions stressed it was always the intention that GPs would turn up for work and ensure emergency and urgent services would run.