They say the Government’s proposals for new contracts will reduce safeguards on the number of hours junior doctors can work, abolish increased pay for unsocial hours and a cut pay for A&E staff. Speaking to the BBC Tuesday, he called the strike “completely unnecessary”. As ever, the safety and care of patients is our top priority and the NHS has robust plans in place to ensure those who need emergency treatment will continue to receive it.
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The government’s solution was to revamp doctor’s contracts, tampering with their working hours and pay rates in an effort to bolster seven-day services without increasing spending.
As we met them outside the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, there seemed to be plenty of verbal and audio response to their placards, urging support.
Some Junior Doctors in the West Midlands refused to return to work despite an order from their NHS trust at Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich.
Junior Doctors also have severe concerns about the quality of care patients will receive. “It’s a really nice hospital to work in”.
He added: “It is heartening that people understand why we have done this, it was such a hard decision to strike but the public understand why we did this”.
Masood said support for the strike among the doctors was overwhelming.
Johann Malawana, chair of the BMA junior doctors committee, said: “Junior doctors feel they have been left with no option but to take this action”.
Junior doctors are qualified medical practitioners.
The basis for the current round of negotiations is the Government’s offer from early November, including an 11 per cent rise in basic pay.
“During the day, we postponed 10 routine operations and five day cases as well as around 100 outpatient appointments”.
It is double the length of the first strike, so such issues with capacity are likely to be amplified next time around.
This will be followed by further strikes.
If no resolution is found, there will be a 48-hour stoppage and the provision of emergency care only from 8am on 26 January.
The organisation said Tuesday’s action was the first of three planned at the moment, with further strikes scheduled for January 26 and February 10.
Hospitals in England are facing major disruption as junior doctors have gone on strike in a dispute with the government over a new contract.
Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, the body that represents NHS trusts, said,”There were 16 issues that were identified as issues we need to resolve, 15 of the 16 issues have been resolved”.
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“I do not think we can give that guarantee at this point”, he said.
