Doctors say the NHS already provides a week long service and changing working conditions will only encourage young doctors to leave the NHS or work overseas.
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Ministers offered doctors an 11 per cent rise in basic pay to try and introduce a 24/7 service – but medics claim resources will be stretched to breaking point by having the same staff working longer hours, with the BMA arguing the dispute is about patient safety, not pay.
Speaking on the picket line, junior doctor Catherine McGrath said: “We are striking over the future of the NHS, we are so grateful to the public for their support all morning”.
It says the new contract will be better for patients because it removes the existing incentive for doctors to work “unsafe” hours.
Yesterday we reported how the trust said the strike had led to 68 appointments, and 13 elective surgical cases, being cancelled.
The British Medical Association (BMA) and the Government will return to the negotiating table for two days from 10am on Thursday, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) said.
“We hope this action causes the Government to rethink their actions, treat junior doctors fairly and negotiate a safe a fair deal”.
A spokesman said patients should attend medical appointments as planned unless they have been informed otherwise. “They don’t deserve exhausted, stressed, overworked doctors”, a former junior doctor told The Guardian. “Like midwives who took strike action over the past year I know that patient safety will be the number one priority for the junior doctors, and that steps will be taken to ensure that those who need care will receive it”.
The action, until 8am tomorrow, will be followed by a 48-hour walkout starting on January 26 and for nine hours on February 10.
JUNIOR doctors are on strike today over proposed changes to their contract by government.
Mr Hunt said almost 40% (39%) of junior doctors chose to work, however, the figure included the medics who had agreed to work to maintain emergency care levels and not been asked by the BMA to take action.
They collected more signatures for a petition backing their contract fight in the “Meet the Doctors” event, the first since November past year.
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“Clearly NHS employers and the Government have a different view and I think the sooner we can get to a position where there is one version of the truth and really understand those areas where there continues to be disagreement and to find a resolution to those issues…”
