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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/live/2016/mar/09/junior-doctors-strike-for-third-time-over-new-contract-live-updates
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| Junior doctors strike for third time over new contract - live updates | Junior doctors strike for third time over new contract - live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 8.42am GMT | |
| 08:42 | |
| The Green party is backing the striking junior doctors. The party’s health spokesman, Larry Sanders, who is the brother of US presidential hopeful Bernie, said: | |
| The hypocrisy of Jeremy Hunt announcing that he was imposing a contract on junior doctors exactly one year after he ‘called time on NHS bullying’ is astounding. Those junior doctors are essential to a functioning NHS and they will go on to become leaders of the service. They need to be treated with the respect that they deserve. | |
| It is clear to all that Jeremy Hunt’s agenda is to destroy the NHS and to pass it into private hands supported by an insurance scheme. He has gone on record with these views and he is therefore not a fit person to be in charge of the NHS. | |
| It is time for Mr Hunt to go before for he completely destroys the NHS and the good will that it runs on. | |
| The junior doctors are fighting for the right to be able to care for us. | |
| Supporting #JuniorDoctorsStrike we stand together to protect our #nhs @TheGreenParty pic.twitter.com/EHe07llMYf | |
| 8.39am GMT | |
| 08:39 | |
| Lots more pictures are starting to come in from - in some cases very wet - picket lines. | |
| Determined #juniordoctors on the picket line in #Cheltenham this morning #JuniorDoctorsStrike #notsafenotfair pic.twitter.com/FtOVg7o5cn | |
| Kicking it off at St Barts! #JuniorDoctorsStrike pic.twitter.com/3srEdox5AL | |
| Today @MaudsleyNHS #juniordoctors begin 48 hours emergency care-only industrial action #JuniorDoctorsStrike. pic.twitter.com/bDsNmcRHQ0 | |
| 8.30am GMT | |
| 08:30 | |
| This picture is from a picket line in west London | |
| #JuniorDoctorsStrike on the #picket line at Hammersmith hospital #juniorcontract #notsafenotfair @TheBMA pic.twitter.com/yuCLzptPhP | |
| 8.22am GMT | |
| 08:22 | |
| Strikers in south London have been given some musical support. | |
| #JuniorDoctorsStrike at St Georges Hospital in Tooting where the National Health Singers perform on the picket line. pic.twitter.com/LmUDqnF7y4 | |
| 8.20am GMT | |
| 08:20 | |
| This is a useful explainer by my colleague, the health editor, Sarah Boseley, about why the talks to resolved the dispute over the new junior doctors contract failed. | |
| 8.07am GMT | 8.07am GMT |
| 08:07 | 08:07 |
| Some patients, unaffected by the industrial action, are tweeting support for the junior doctors. | Some patients, unaffected by the industrial action, are tweeting support for the junior doctors. |
| Thankfully I'm sat on my ward waiting for my operation. Junior Doctors have all my support over the next 48 hours. #JuniorDoctorsStrike | Thankfully I'm sat on my ward waiting for my operation. Junior Doctors have all my support over the next 48 hours. #JuniorDoctorsStrike |
| Off to hospital for physio later & will be shaking the hand of any #juniordoctors I see on the picket line. Good luck! #JuniorDoctorsStrike | Off to hospital for physio later & will be shaking the hand of any #juniordoctors I see on the picket line. Good luck! #JuniorDoctorsStrike |
| 8.04am GMT | 8.04am GMT |
| 08:04 | 08:04 |
| Junior doctors working in emergency care are not striking but NHS hospitals in England nevertheless expects additional pressure on A&E departments. | Junior doctors working in emergency care are not striking but NHS hospitals in England nevertheless expects additional pressure on A&E departments. |
| During #JuniorDoctorsStrike Herts A&E depts will be busy Call NHS111 for advice or see https://t.co/O1I7f5iYpG for alternatives #Herts | During #JuniorDoctorsStrike Herts A&E depts will be busy Call NHS111 for advice or see https://t.co/O1I7f5iYpG for alternatives #Herts |
| 8.01am GMT | 8.01am GMT |
| 08:01 | 08:01 |
| Matthew Weaver | Matthew Weaver |
| Anne Rainsberry, NHS England’s regional director for London, predicted a “difficult couple of days” for the NHS with around 5,000 operations postponed. | Anne Rainsberry, NHS England’s regional director for London, predicted a “difficult couple of days” for the NHS with around 5,000 operations postponed. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: | Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: |
| This is going to be a difficult couple of days for the NHS - there is no doubt that [a] 48 hour [strike] puts significantly more pressure on services. However, I’ve no doubt the NHS will pull out all the stops as it has done in the other two strikes, to minimise the disruption. | This is going to be a difficult couple of days for the NHS - there is no doubt that [a] 48 hour [strike] puts significantly more pressure on services. However, I’ve no doubt the NHS will pull out all the stops as it has done in the other two strikes, to minimise the disruption. |
| She added: “We are expecting around 5,000 procedures to be effected and need to be rescheduled as a result of the action over the next couple of days. | She added: “We are expecting around 5,000 procedures to be effected and need to be rescheduled as a result of the action over the next couple of days. |
| Hospitals will always prioritise clinically urgent cases, she insisted. | Hospitals will always prioritise clinically urgent cases, she insisted. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.04am GMT | at 8.04am GMT |
| 8.00am GMT | 8.00am GMT |
| 08:00 | 08:00 |
| Strike begins | Strike begins |
| The strike is officially underway | The strike is officially underway |
| 7.58am GMT | 7.58am GMT |
| 07:58 | 07:58 |
| Some junior doctors who are striking today will be running free life support classes for parents as a way of using their skills during the industrial action. | Some junior doctors who are striking today will be running free life support classes for parents as a way of using their skills during the industrial action. |
| One #littlelifesavers event is being held in Tooting, south London, home to St George’s hospital. | One #littlelifesavers event is being held in Tooting, south London, home to St George’s hospital. |
| Dagan Lonsdale, a registrar working in intensive care and clinical pharmacology at St George’s, said: | Dagan Lonsdale, a registrar working in intensive care and clinical pharmacology at St George’s, said: |
| The idea is that junior doctors are volunteering their time on the strike days to talk to parents about life support for children. The idea is to just do something positive on the day of industrial action because junior doctors aren’t people for standing around braziers on a picket line and people feel they want to do something positive and show that this is not about striking for money. | The idea is that junior doctors are volunteering their time on the strike days to talk to parents about life support for children. The idea is to just do something positive on the day of industrial action because junior doctors aren’t people for standing around braziers on a picket line and people feel they want to do something positive and show that this is not about striking for money. |
| We really do have patients’ best interests at heart, we’re interested in pursuing our vocation, which is saving people’s lives. | We really do have patients’ best interests at heart, we’re interested in pursuing our vocation, which is saving people’s lives. |
| 7.53am GMT | 7.53am GMT |
| 07:53 | 07:53 |
| 65% support doctors' striking | 65% support doctors' striking |
| A poll of 860 adults by Ipsos MORI for the BBC showed 65% support junior doctors going on strike, a similar proportion as backed them ahead of last month’s industrial action. The proportion against the strike dropped from 22% last month to 17%. | A poll of 860 adults by Ipsos MORI for the BBC showed 65% support junior doctors going on strike, a similar proportion as backed them ahead of last month’s industrial action. The proportion against the strike dropped from 22% last month to 17%. |
| However, the proportion of people blaming both sides for the dispute has risen from 18% to 28%. The majority - 57% - still blame the government. | However, the proportion of people blaming both sides for the dispute has risen from 18% to 28%. The majority - 57% - still blame the government. |
| 7.48am GMT | 7.48am GMT |
| 07:48 | 07:48 |
| At 8am junior doctors will launch their third strike in three months over the terms of a new contract. This time the walkout will last 48 hours, whereas on the previous two occasions the industrial action lasted 24 hours. | At 8am junior doctors will launch their third strike in three months over the terms of a new contract. This time the walkout will last 48 hours, whereas on the previous two occasions the industrial action lasted 24 hours. |
| The reason for the escalation is that the day after the last strike, the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, announced that he was going to impose the new contract on junior doctors after months of negotiations failed to reach a resolution. | The reason for the escalation is that the day after the last strike, the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, announced that he was going to impose the new contract on junior doctors after months of negotiations failed to reach a resolution. |
| NHS England is predicting “a difficult couple of days”. It says that more than 5,000 operations have been cancelled as a result of the strike, which does not include staff working in emergency wards. An unknown number of consultations at outpatient clinics will be affected. | NHS England is predicting “a difficult couple of days”. It says that more than 5,000 operations have been cancelled as a result of the strike, which does not include staff working in emergency wards. An unknown number of consultations at outpatient clinics will be affected. |
| The industrial action is about changes to pay and working conditions, with the key sticking point the removal of overtime payments for working during the day on Saturday. | The industrial action is about changes to pay and working conditions, with the key sticking point the removal of overtime payments for working during the day on Saturday. |
| Hunt is championing the changes as necessary to deliver the government’s pledge of a seven day NHS and improve patient safety. | Hunt is championing the changes as necessary to deliver the government’s pledge of a seven day NHS and improve patient safety. |
| The BMA, which represents 38,000 junior doctors, 98% of whom voted to strike in a November ballot, had said it will worsen working conditions for its members and thereby jeopardise patient care. | The BMA, which represents 38,000 junior doctors, 98% of whom voted to strike in a November ballot, had said it will worsen working conditions for its members and thereby jeopardise patient care. |
| We will be providing live updates, including from colleagues on the picket lines. | We will be providing live updates, including from colleagues on the picket lines. |
| You can send me pictures etc to haroon(dot)siddique@theguardian.com or tweet me @Haroon_Siddique | You can send me pictures etc to haroon(dot)siddique@theguardian.com or tweet me @Haroon_Siddique |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.01am GMT | at 8.01am GMT |