Junior doctors in England have launched a five-day strike as part of their ongoing pay dispute, marking their 11th walkout. Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) began their action at 7am, with NHS England warning that it would lead to significant disruption to normal services in hospitals. The doctors’ union maintains that it has had no offer of sufficient weight since February, and therefore that the strike is necessary. For the NHS Confederation, the timing of the action during an election campaign, when no party is in a position to end the dispute, is a “bitter pill to swallow”.
Although arbitration had been agreed in May, this was halted when the election was called. The BMA responded by calling a strike. The group is seeking a 35% pay rise, which it says is needed to make up for 15 years of pay offers below the rate of inflation. Last year, the BMA abandoned talks when an extra 3% pay increase was offered. During the current strike, junior doctors will cease work on all services, with senior medics covering. Services such as routine operations are set to be most affected. GPs and pharmacies will however be available.
The NHS Confederation has expressed major concerns over the latest strike, with medical director, Stephen Powis warning that it would “hit the NHS very hard”. Meanwhile, Matthew Taylor, CEO of the NHS Confederation complained about the timing of the action, which he argues will mean that staff will have to cope with yet another strike. Nearly 1.5m appointments and operations have already been cancelled due to NHS strikes, costing an estimated £3bn. [1] Junior doctors work in the health system’s critical frontline services, making up almost half of the NHS workforce. Approximately two-thirds of these personnel are members of the BMA.
Commenting on her own experience, Anita Wheeler, a 75-year old retiree who formerly worked as a nurse argued that the strikes were negatively impacting on patient’s lives. Her own appointment was cancelled because of striking junior doctors in March 2023. She has plantar fasciitis, which causes pain around her ankle and foot, and empathises with others in similar situations. Meanwhile, the government has argued that the doctors’ demands for a 35% pay rise are unreasonable, with no political party committed to meeting these demands in full. The Greens have, however, pledged such a rise
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More