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| Junior doctors say they may leave the NHS after contracts imposed | Junior doctors say they may leave the NHS after contracts imposed |
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| Jeremy Hunt’s decision to impose a new contract on junior doctors has been met with ferocious opposition from medics, with many claiming the move will jeopardise patient care and could lead to an exodus of expertise from the NHS. | Jeremy Hunt’s decision to impose a new contract on junior doctors has been met with ferocious opposition from medics, with many claiming the move will jeopardise patient care and could lead to an exodus of expertise from the NHS. |
| Doctors and their supporters said it made clear that the government believed it could bully them into submission. | Doctors and their supporters said it made clear that the government believed it could bully them into submission. |
| Meanwhile, Twitter and other social media have been flooded with messages of support for junior doctors, who staged a second 24-hour strike on Wednesday. | Meanwhile, Twitter and other social media have been flooded with messages of support for junior doctors, who staged a second 24-hour strike on Wednesday. |
| Rachel Clarke, a junior doctor working on infectious diseases in Oxford, said she was devastated when she news of Hunt’s decision. “We have been hearing rumours all week but actually hearing that he was going to follow through with such an inflammatory and corrosive option is absolutely mortifying for me and all the junior doctors I have spoken to,” she said. | Rachel Clarke, a junior doctor working on infectious diseases in Oxford, said she was devastated when she news of Hunt’s decision. “We have been hearing rumours all week but actually hearing that he was going to follow through with such an inflammatory and corrosive option is absolutely mortifying for me and all the junior doctors I have spoken to,” she said. |
| “The thing I found most extraordinary of all was him standing up in the commons and stamping all over us by imposing this contract while simultaneously announcing a review to improve doctors’ morale. The way he could really improve our morale is is putting his money where his mouth is and funding a truly seven-day NHS. Instead, basically today he’s pressed his nuclear button. | “The thing I found most extraordinary of all was him standing up in the commons and stamping all over us by imposing this contract while simultaneously announcing a review to improve doctors’ morale. The way he could really improve our morale is is putting his money where his mouth is and funding a truly seven-day NHS. Instead, basically today he’s pressed his nuclear button. |
| “I think he believes that by bullying and threatening us … we will be cowed into submission, but he has grievously underestimated our resolve.” | “I think he believes that by bullying and threatening us … we will be cowed into submission, but he has grievously underestimated our resolve.” |
| Speaking in the Commons, Hunt acknowledged that imposing a new contract would cause “considerable dismay” among junior doctors but insisted that it was a good deal for them, which in time would earn their confidence. | Speaking in the Commons, Hunt acknowledged that imposing a new contract would cause “considerable dismay” among junior doctors but insisted that it was a good deal for them, which in time would earn their confidence. |
| Roshana Mehdian, 30, a trauma and orthopaedic registrar based in London, disagreed. She said there had been tears in the hospital where she works when Hunt’s decision was broadcast, and she said Hunt’s only option now should be to step down. | Roshana Mehdian, 30, a trauma and orthopaedic registrar based in London, disagreed. She said there had been tears in the hospital where she works when Hunt’s decision was broadcast, and she said Hunt’s only option now should be to step down. |
| “Ultimately he has failed as a health secretary,” she said. “He is not capable of appraising what’s needed for the health service and he seems unable to fairly negotiate a contract with us, despite having been given many chances. The reasons he can’t do that is because he won’t listen to our concerns.” | “Ultimately he has failed as a health secretary,” she said. “He is not capable of appraising what’s needed for the health service and he seems unable to fairly negotiate a contract with us, despite having been given many chances. The reasons he can’t do that is because he won’t listen to our concerns.” |
| Junior Drs,Stand firmThe house of cards are falling for @Jeremy_Hunt He has failed patients, NHS & British public WE won't fail them | Junior Drs,Stand firmThe house of cards are falling for @Jeremy_Hunt He has failed patients, NHS & British public WE won't fail them |
| Like all the doctors who spoke to the Guardian, Mehdian said she believed that the new contract would be disastrous for patient care. | Like all the doctors who spoke to the Guardian, Mehdian said she believed that the new contract would be disastrous for patient care. |
| “I genuinely feel this is one of the most dangerous things to happen in the health service for years, for many reasons but one of the most pressing issues is that we are so stretched already. To try and stretch the number of doctors to do an expanded service is quite clearly dangerous for patients. | “I genuinely feel this is one of the most dangerous things to happen in the health service for years, for many reasons but one of the most pressing issues is that we are so stretched already. To try and stretch the number of doctors to do an expanded service is quite clearly dangerous for patients. |
| “If he really cared for patient safety, he would fund it and he would get more doctors and more resources.” | “If he really cared for patient safety, he would fund it and he would get more doctors and more resources.” |
| Clinical researcher Hoong-Wei Gan, 32, agreed, saying junior doctors and their union, the British Medical Association, had been arguing for a contract that was safe for patients. “This imposition means that he [Hunt], doesn’t want to listen to us,” Gan said. | Clinical researcher Hoong-Wei Gan, 32, agreed, saying junior doctors and their union, the British Medical Association, had been arguing for a contract that was safe for patients. “This imposition means that he [Hunt], doesn’t want to listen to us,” Gan said. |
| “My biggest concern is the consequences of this on my patients’ care. The government wants to run a seven-day NHS, we already have a seven-day NHS for emergency cases. In order to actually create more services on the weekends the government needs to provide more funds for more doctors, more nurses and more diagnostic services. | “My biggest concern is the consequences of this on my patients’ care. The government wants to run a seven-day NHS, we already have a seven-day NHS for emergency cases. In order to actually create more services on the weekends the government needs to provide more funds for more doctors, more nurses and more diagnostic services. |
| “[Hunt] keeps saying that it was in his party’s manifesto to provide a seven-day NHS. Doctors are very happy to help him with that but to do that we need to make sure that whatever changes we make to the NHS are still safe. Pushing through his party’s manifesto without making sure of that I think is quite worrying.” | “[Hunt] keeps saying that it was in his party’s manifesto to provide a seven-day NHS. Doctors are very happy to help him with that but to do that we need to make sure that whatever changes we make to the NHS are still safe. Pushing through his party’s manifesto without making sure of that I think is quite worrying.” |
| #imthedoctorwho from yesterday's picket line in London #notsafenotfair #JuniorDoctorsStrike @NorthThamesJDC @TheBMA pic.twitter.com/7OItZfncDl | #imthedoctorwho from yesterday's picket line in London #notsafenotfair #JuniorDoctorsStrike @NorthThamesJDC @TheBMA pic.twitter.com/7OItZfncDl |
| Dagan Lonsdale, a specialist registrar in intensive care medicine at St George’s hospital in south London, was filmed tackling Hunt as the health secretary turned up for an interview with the broadcaster on Wednesday afternoon. | Dagan Lonsdale, a specialist registrar in intensive care medicine at St George’s hospital in south London, was filmed tackling Hunt as the health secretary turned up for an interview with the broadcaster on Wednesday afternoon. |
| He followed Hunt into the studio, berating him about his decision.“ You’ve got no evidence whatsoever Mr Hunt that these changes will have a positive effect,” he said. “You are taking a massive gamble with people in the NHS. I don’t know why you won’t address that point.” | He followed Hunt into the studio, berating him about his decision.“ You’ve got no evidence whatsoever Mr Hunt that these changes will have a positive effect,” he said. “You are taking a massive gamble with people in the NHS. I don’t know why you won’t address that point.” |
| Speaking to the Guardian later, Lonsdale said he and his wife may be forced to abandon their medical careers. “We have to contemplate if we can work in a system that stretches doctors in such a way that patients are put at risk and where were will be unable to give the right amount of time to family life for our son,” he said. “I think if even 1% of the NHS workforce leaves because of this contract, the NHS will be in dire straits. | |
| “There are already gaps in rotas. The only option if you want a fully seven-day NHS service without any more investment is to stretch services thinner or make doctors work more hours – and we all know tired doctors make mistakes.” | “There are already gaps in rotas. The only option if you want a fully seven-day NHS service without any more investment is to stretch services thinner or make doctors work more hours – and we all know tired doctors make mistakes.” |
| Clarke also warned that many of her colleagues were now considering leaving the NHS. With many hospitals already pushed for staff, this could only make services worse. | Clarke also warned that many of her colleagues were now considering leaving the NHS. With many hospitals already pushed for staff, this could only make services worse. |
| She said: “The consequences are going to be tragic for the NHS. First and foremost there will be more industrial action, but far more damaging will be an exodus of young doctors from the NHS. There are a huge number of junior doctors who have resolved to quit the NHS rather than work under the punitive contract that Jeremy Hunt has imposed on us. | She said: “The consequences are going to be tragic for the NHS. First and foremost there will be more industrial action, but far more damaging will be an exodus of young doctors from the NHS. There are a huge number of junior doctors who have resolved to quit the NHS rather than work under the punitive contract that Jeremy Hunt has imposed on us. |
| “We already work with gaps in our rotas. Now we will see many, many more gaps, all of those at a great cost to patient safety. I believe that in pushing his nuclear button [Hunt] has instigated a huge exodus from the NHS and I think that that, as his legacy, is totally catastrophic.” | “We already work with gaps in our rotas. Now we will see many, many more gaps, all of those at a great cost to patient safety. I believe that in pushing his nuclear button [Hunt] has instigated a huge exodus from the NHS and I think that that, as his legacy, is totally catastrophic.” |
| Related: 'We can't be stretched thinner': junior doctors respond to Jeremy Hunt | Related: 'We can't be stretched thinner': junior doctors respond to Jeremy Hunt |
| This week applications had opened for specialist training, but Clarke said she was thinking hard about her options. “At the moment I don’t know even if I’m going to apply,” she said. “All my life nothing has mattered more to me than being a doctor and caring for my patients and I don’t know if I can do it any more. | This week applications had opened for specialist training, but Clarke said she was thinking hard about her options. “At the moment I don’t know even if I’m going to apply,” she said. “All my life nothing has mattered more to me than being a doctor and caring for my patients and I don’t know if I can do it any more. |
| “If 1% of us leave you have just lost 540 junior doctors. That’s enough to staff five accident and emergency departments. We can’t afford to lose any of us.” | “If 1% of us leave you have just lost 540 junior doctors. That’s enough to staff five accident and emergency departments. We can’t afford to lose any of us.” |
| The BMA has made it clear that it would fight the move, saying that it would now “consider all options”. Mehdian said she was braced for any further action, up to and including an all-out strike. | The BMA has made it clear that it would fight the move, saying that it would now “consider all options”. Mehdian said she was braced for any further action, up to and including an all-out strike. |
| “I’ve been very vocal throughout the whole thing and I’m not going to stop now,” she said. “Hunt’s made clear that his strategy is to tire us out and get us to tire of opposing this contract. But I don’t think we are going to tire. I’m going to follow whatever advice the BMA gives us, be that industrial action. | “I’ve been very vocal throughout the whole thing and I’m not going to stop now,” she said. “Hunt’s made clear that his strategy is to tire us out and get us to tire of opposing this contract. But I don’t think we are going to tire. I’m going to follow whatever advice the BMA gives us, be that industrial action. |
| “If we don’t succeed in getting this contract removed then I’m going to seriously consider my options for other careers.” | “If we don’t succeed in getting this contract removed then I’m going to seriously consider my options for other careers.” |