Resident Doctors in England to Stage Five-Day Walkout Next Month
Medical professionals in England are preparing to begin a five-day strike in November, due to disputes regarding pay and employment.
Strike Details
The BMA stated that junior physicians will walk out for five consecutive days from November 14 at 7am to November 19 at 7am.
Junior physicians, who make up nearly 50% of all medical staff in the National Health Service, are proceeding with the strike after failed negotiations with the health department.
Causes of the Walkout
Dr Jack Fletcher stated, “We did not want to reach this point. We have spent the last week in talks with officials, pressing the health secretary to end the crisis of unemployed physicians.”
“We know from our own survey half of second-year doctors in England are facing unemployment, their talents being unused whilst countless individuals endure long waits for care and hospital shifts go unfilled. This cannot continue.”
He added, “We talked with the government in good faith, keen for the minister to see that a deal including options to slowly restore the cuts to pay over a number of years, providing recent graduates a raise of just a pound an hour for the next four years.”
“We hoped the government would see that our asks are not just fair but are in the best interests of the public and our those we treat and would also help prevent our doctors leaving the NHS.”
About Resident Doctors
Junior physicians have as much as eight years of experience practicing in hospitals, depending on their specialty, or up to three years in general practice.
More details are expected soon.
