England’s junior doctors go on strike as contract talks fail

Holding placards with slogans including “hands off our NHS” and “not safe not fair”, they listened to a speech from Dr Harriet Nerva, Hinchingbrooke doctor who is also chair of the regional East of England Regional BMA Junior Doctor Committee outside the front of the hospital.

But Mr Hunt said he had “no choice” but to impose the contracts after the union refused to compromise.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt argued the BMA is the “only reason” a solution to the dispute has not been found. And 64% of those questioned said the Government was more at fault for the dispute continuing this long, while just 13% said the blame lies with junior doctors.

A similar strike last month saw 12 clinics cancelled and two operations called off across SWFT’s sites in Leamington, Warwick, Stratford and the Ellen Badger Hospital in Shipston.

Junior doctors already work several hours, seven days a week and they do so under an existing contract: “If the government wants more seven-day services then, quite simply, they need more doctors, nurses and diagnostic staff, and the extra investment needed to deliver it”.

Formal talks broke down in January, with payments for working Saturdays being a main sticking point for the British Medical Association (BMA).

Hundreds of outpatient appointments and scores of operations have been cancelled on Teesside today as a result of the junior doctors’ strike.

“The strike is damaging and will directly affect many patients needlessly”.

Starting Wednesday morning, thousands of junior doctors in England proceeded on industrial strike action following the broken down negotiations between them and the government over conditions of work – Washington Post reports.

What exactly do junior doctors do? “All emergency services, including our A&E departments and urgent care centres, will run as normal”.

National Incident Director for NHS England, Anne Rainsberry, said the national health service is doing everything possible to minimize the impact of the strike.

The new deal gives them a pay rise, but some anti-social hours for which they are now paid a premium would be considered to be standard.

The Health Secretary on Tuesday urged the BMA to “put the interests of patients first and reconsider their refusal to negotiate” on the one remaining issue of weekend working.