They have asked for a contract which pays fairly, ensures safe working hours, one that provides cover at weekends and at night and does not disadvantage doctors who take parental leave.
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However the doctors’ union the British Medical Association (BMA) accused hospitals of “moving the goalposts” by declaring spurious incidents to force striking medics back into their posts.
BMA leader Dr Mark Porter said: “We sincerely regret the disruption that industrial action will cause, but junior doctors have been left with no option”.
Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, claimed that 15 of the 16 issues had been resolved.
Gillian Rivlin, a junior paediatrician for four years, said: “We felt that the public did not understand but since the conclusion of the last strike, there has been a lot of education”.
But this is offset by plans to cut the number of hours on a weekend for which junior doctors can claim extra pay for unsocial hours.
He plans to extend the times of the week junior doctors are paid only basic rates for working, from the current 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday to 7am to 10pm on weekdays and from 7am until 7pm on Saturdays.
For 24 hours, a significantly reduced medical workforce will only carry out emergency care, with over 4,000 routine appointments delayed.
If no resolution is found, there will be a 48-hour stoppage and the provision of emergency care only from 8am on January 26.
All junior doctors will walk out on strike between 8am and 5pm on Wednesday, February 10.
Danny Mortimer, the head of NHS Employers, which is representing the Government in negotiations, said he was “desperate” to avoid a repeat of the strike.
While it’s true that pay and hours are important factors in the negotiation between the BMA and the department for health, it seems the public is confused over what problems junior doctors actually have with the contract that has been offered to them.
Trainee doctors in England will provide emergency-only care during the strike, similar to the medical service offered on Christmas Day in the country.
Tuesday was a really bad day to be a patient in England.
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“We have a responsibility to protect the NHS and our patients but we also have to protect the junior doctors who will be affected by these unfair changes to our contracts”. Patients have been advised that if the strike does not go ahead then they should attend their appointment as normal.
