GMC should work with doctors on strike

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/19/gmc-should-work-with-doctors-on-strike

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As a one time member of the General Medical Council (Strikes ‘increasingly hard to justify’ – GMC head, 11 April) I deplore this intervention by Professor Stephenson, its chair. The GMC is traditionally apolitical and its strapline reads “Working with doctors / Working for patients”. The estimated 24,500 cancelled operations over four months are regrettable, but the GMC has had nothing to say about the 18,000 elective operations cancelled at the last minute in the third quarter of 2015-16, before any strikes had taken place.

It has not commented on the increasing waiting times in A&E, outpatient appointments (including those for cancer) and elective surgery, a result of government underfunding, compounded by the wasteful contracting system imposed on clinical commissioning groups by Section 75 of The Health and Social Care Act 2012. It has not spoken out about some GPs in CCGs having clear conflicts of interest. They have not supported a whistleblowing doctor whose appeal against a tribunal ruling has serious implications for the 54,000 junior doctors.

Has Professor Stephenson spoken to Dr Johann Malawana, chair of the BMA junior doctors committee and found out why these doctors feel driven to an all-out strike in the face of the intransigent and misleading campaign run by Jeremy Hunt? I would prefer senior doctors to be pressing the government to resume talks with the BMA rather than trying to impose a contract unacceptable to the workforce. The GMC should work with the doctors not against them.Wendy SavagePresident, Keep Our NHS Public

• One reason junior doctors are continuing to fight imposition of this unsafe and unfair contract is that we know it will dangerously overstretch NHS services, a tactic we fear is designed to cause them to fail. Only last week an A&E unit was forced to close because of understaffing. Having already carved up services and sanctioned private companies to provide NHS contracts, all we need is the proverbial straw to break this amazing institution’s back, after which the government will be able to start a mass sell-off and complete healthcare privatisation. The fallout from this contract could be that straw. The NHS failing seems to be exactly what this government wants. Failure means privatisation, which fits with its policies of small government and no state handouts. If we want to save the NHS, we must keep fighting this contract.Dr Jonathan BarnesLondon

• With junior doctors all but unanimously supporting unprecedented strikes, hospital budget deficits soaring and quality of care plummeting, it is safe to say this government’s health policy is failing. Jeremy Hunt is not a good health secretary, but is not solely responsible. It is about time David Cameron, and local Conservative MPs, received the blame they deserve for continuing in this shambolic manner. If Mr Cameron wants to avoid adding the collapse of the NHS to his legacy, which may include the UK leaving the EU and Scotland leaving the UK, he needs to listen to knowledgeable, dedicated doctors and work across political parties to create a fully funded health policy that can deal with the substantial pressures facing the NHS.Fredrik VivianLondon

• I write as chair of the lay advisory group of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth), an independent group of volunteers actively involved for the benefit of patients. We have generally experienced both the best of services the NHS is capable of and sometimes those services that have not met the needs of patients.

We recognise that the NHS is under immense pressure to provide adequate services. People are losing vision because hospitals are unable to provide follow-up appointments within a safe time period. 30% of consultant ophthalmologist positions advertised last year remain unfilled - putting further pressure on an already overstretched service. 

We call on the government to support a sustainable NHS by recognising that chronic inadequate funding is leading to unsafe practices and poor staff morale. If the impasse is not broken quickly a whole generation, who should be the future of the NHS, will be demotivated and more patients will be put at serious risk. We urge that all parties come together so that our public health services adequately meet the needs of all patients.Tom BremridgeChair of the lay advisory group, Royal College of Ophthalmologists

• Although your headline says “Hunt in U-turn” (Front page, 18 April), the difference between him “imposing’’ and “introducing’’ new contracts for doctors appears to be merely cosmetic.

You quote the Department of Health spokesperson as saying that “New terms are being introduced for junior doctors as their current contract expires – because agreement could not be reached with the BMA.” In just what respect is this any different from “imposing”?Francis PrideauxLondon

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