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| Junior doctors strike: Hunt labels first all-out action a 'bleak day' for NHS - live | Junior doctors strike: Hunt labels first all-out action a 'bleak day' for NHS - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 11.21am BST | |
| 11:21 | |
| Frances Perraudin | |
| Nusiba Taufik, a junior doctor in her first year of training, has been on the picket line outside the Royal Liverpool University hospital during all of the four previous strikes. Frances Perraudin has been talking to her. | |
| “It’s taken us a while to get to this point and a lot of us were nervous about the fact that it was a full walk-out, but the consultants reassured us that everyone was going to be safe,” she said. | |
| “The strike is only until 5pm, so I’m sure they can hold the reins until then. Obviously they are the most senior doctors in the hospital and they have the most clinical knowledge and management skills, so we were all reassured by that.” | |
| Taufik says public support doesn’t seem to have waned at all in Liverpool since the first strike. | |
| “There were warnings that it would if we went to a full walk out, but we’ve had loads of members of the public come and visit the picket,” she said. “People in Liverpool are obviously more politically inclined than other parts of the country, but even national opinion polls suggest most of the public still support the strike.” | |
| Taufik says she was hoping up until the last minute that the strike would be called off. | |
| “Yesterday when Hunt came out to do his speech we were all still in work waiting for an announcement, possibly to stop the strike,” she added. “We were all really hoping that it wouldn’t come to this... [Hunt] obviously realises that if we were to have a proper public debate he wouldn’t come out of it very well.” | |
| 11.21am BST | |
| 11:21 | |
| William Hill are offering odds of 11/10 that Jeremy Hunt will cease to be in the job before the end of 2016. | |
| “Mr Hunt is taking a firm line over the doctors’ strike which could ultimately cost him what he has already called his ‘last big job in politics’.” said the bookmaker’s spokesman, Graham Sharpe. | |
| 11.15am BST | |
| 11:15 | |
| Damien Gayle | |
| So a lady fell down in front of me in the street and I've had to take her to A&E. Treatment fast and efficient despite #JuniorDoctorsStrike | |
| 11.08am BST | |
| 11:08 | |
| Alessio Perrone, at Newham hospital, in London, for the Guardian, has been speaking to Eva Tan, a junior doctor for care for the elderly. She said: | |
| I’m a mother, a woman, and I work part-time. I’m already working long hours – often without the time to eat or go to the toilet – without a break. I would be affected greatly [by the new contract]. | |
| People must know that there are still more doctors in hospitals today than during bank holidays. We aren’t covered during annual leave, and hospitals are understaffed. There are more and more gaps in the rotas at Newham general hospital. It’s a big problem. I’ve worked in Germany as well, and there we were always covered. | |
| If [Jeremy] Hunt wants to have a real seven-day NHS he should improve emergency care. This plan about elective care doesn’t make sense, it wouldn’t have an impact on it. | |
| Updated | |
| at 11.12am BST | |
| 10.58am BST | |
| 10:58 | |
| Here is audio of the health secretary on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He said that health secretaries are never popular but “what history judges is did you take the tough and difficult decisions that enable the NHS to deliver high quality care for patients”. | |
| 10.56am BST | |
| 10:56 | |
| Some health professionals have responded to a Guardian callout for their views. Here’s a sample of what they said. | |
| Medical HR manager, Lancashire | |
| I think the British Medical Association (BMA) has muddled the dispute with a much broader issue regarding privatisation and funding. Having worked with junior doctors and their contracts for over 20 years, this contract reduces hours universally, provides better safeguards and for those who work the hardest, and offers significant pay increases. The dispute has also been mishandled by Jeremy Hunt, but the Department of Health is right to proceed with the terms, having made concessions along the way, not replicated by the BMA. | |
| Ben Norris, junior doctor, general medicine, south England | |
| I’m concerned that some of my colleagues joining the strike are doing so without having studied the proposed terms in detail. It’s extremely worrying how many junior doctors I’ve spoken to are either wrong or misinformed about basic aspects of a contract they purport to oppose. I’m also worried. How much further will this go? I cannot countenance an indefinite walkout. | |
| District nurse, community, Derbyshire | |
| Although I may not fully agree with the potential impact on patients (and nurses who will be bearing the weight), they are doing this on principle for the benefit of all NHS staff. If the precedent for reducing unsocial hours is set, it would be catastrophic for nurses – we would see a lot more leave the profession, or their jobs to become agency nurses. | |
| Updated | |
| at 11.07am BST | |
| 10.54am BST | |
| 10:54 | |
| JK Rowling has backed the striking junior doctors on Twitter: | |
| Doctors who have been loyal 2 the NHS for years rather than chase £ abroad don't deserve to be accused of greed. https://t.co/E9oLRyqiaI | |
| Every doctor I know fears making a mistake above all else. This contract spreads the same resources more thinly. https://t.co/E9oLRyqiaI | |
| 10.51am BST | |
| 10:51 | |
| Simran Singh, BMA union leader at Newham general hospital, told Alessio Perrone, at the hospital for the Guardian, that only two junior doctors have chosen to work there today. | |
| Singh said: | |
| As far as I’m aware, only two doctors out of over a hundred are choosing to work today. | |
| Previous surveys found the strike would have 78% of support, and of the remaining 22% many were on annual leave or emergency cover. I would be enormously surprised if turnout is below 70-80%. | |
| Simran Singh, union leader at Newham General Hospital: "only 2 jr doctors chose to work today" #juniordoctorstrike pic.twitter.com/Y3Sf8zkH5G | |
| A consultant working in acute care, who did not wish her name or her hospital to be identified, told the Guardian’s Aisha Gani that six out of 16 junior doctors had showed up in the department where she was working: | |
| In obstetrics and gynaecology, eight registrars should be here and we have three today. There should be six senior house officers and we have three. We should have two F1 who haven’t turned up. As a result we have seven consultants acting as the juniors and covering emergency work. | |
| Updated | |
| at 11.06am BST | |
| 10.40am BST | 10.40am BST |
| 10:40 | 10:40 |
| Frances Perraudin | Frances Perraudin |
| Colin, a taxi driver from Liverpool, has joined the picket line outside the Royal Liverpool University hospital to show his support for the junior doctors, reports Frances Perraudin. | Colin, a taxi driver from Liverpool, has joined the picket line outside the Royal Liverpool University hospital to show his support for the junior doctors, reports Frances Perraudin. |
| His eldest son, now 34, had a heart transplant aged 13 and another of his children has epilepsy. Colin says he owes the NHS everything. | |
| “If I ever came into big money, I would give it to a hospital and buy them equipment,” he says. “If I gave money to the government, they’d just squander it. I don’t blame the junior doctors going on strike. I blame Mr Hunt... He’s got a horrible smirk on his face and Dennis Skinner at 84 years of age picked him up on that.” | “If I ever came into big money, I would give it to a hospital and buy them equipment,” he says. “If I gave money to the government, they’d just squander it. I don’t blame the junior doctors going on strike. I blame Mr Hunt... He’s got a horrible smirk on his face and Dennis Skinner at 84 years of age picked him up on that.” |
| “The more people support the doctors the better it will be for the patients,” he says. “They’re not in it for the money. It’s about patient safety. If you’re tired you can’t write. If I’m tired I can’t drive because people’s lives are at risk. It’s the same with junior doctors. It costs money to keep people alive, but at the end of the day that’s why working class people pay taxes and national insurance.” | “The more people support the doctors the better it will be for the patients,” he says. “They’re not in it for the money. It’s about patient safety. If you’re tired you can’t write. If I’m tired I can’t drive because people’s lives are at risk. It’s the same with junior doctors. It costs money to keep people alive, but at the end of the day that’s why working class people pay taxes and national insurance.” |
| Colin, a taxi driver, has come to the picket line in L'pool to show support. His son had a heart transplant aged 13. pic.twitter.com/aNeNciyYBg | Colin, a taxi driver, has come to the picket line in L'pool to show support. His son had a heart transplant aged 13. pic.twitter.com/aNeNciyYBg |
| Updated | |
| at 10.59am BST | |
| 10.34am BST | 10.34am BST |
| 10:34 | 10:34 |
| Steven Morris | Steven Morris |
| Danielle Jeffreys, 27, is one of those quitting England when her core training ends in August. She’s taking up a post in Scotland. Many of her colleagues are off to Australia. | Danielle Jeffreys, 27, is one of those quitting England when her core training ends in August. She’s taking up a post in Scotland. Many of her colleagues are off to Australia. |
| She said: | She said: |
| I feel quite burnt out, I feel very overworked at the moment and I need a change and this is a job that is something different. It’s not just working on the wards, it’s also doing a bit of research and also in Scotland they’re not imposing the contract. | |
| Strike - junior doctor Danielle Jeffreys who is leaving Bournemouth for Scotland. https://t.co/xFhfhGxuBb | Strike - junior doctor Danielle Jeffreys who is leaving Bournemouth for Scotland. https://t.co/xFhfhGxuBb |
| Updated | |
| at 10.57am BST | |
| 10.34am BST | 10.34am BST |
| 10:34 | 10:34 |
| Damien Gayle | Damien Gayle |
| At King’s College hospital, an activist with the Young Socialists is trying to drum up support for a march on the TUC to lobby for a general strike. | |
| The 27-year-old, who declined to give his name, said: “Trade union leaders have the power to call the country to a halt and to ask other sectors of society – teachers, bus drivers – to come out in solidarity with the junior doctors. At the moment they have not done enough to support the junior doctors or defend the NHS, and most of society depend on the NHS. | |
| Trade union leaders represent all of society, apart from the junior doctors. They can show more solidarity by calling a general strike. This could bring the government down and that’s the only way out. The junior doctors are fighting alone.” | Trade union leaders represent all of society, apart from the junior doctors. They can show more solidarity by calling a general strike. This could bring the government down and that’s the only way out. The junior doctors are fighting alone.” |
| Young socialists call for general strike to support #juniordoctors. Revolution now! #JuniorDoctorsStrike #ToriesOut pic.twitter.com/8c3IpgvJ2O | Young socialists call for general strike to support #juniordoctors. Revolution now! #JuniorDoctorsStrike #ToriesOut pic.twitter.com/8c3IpgvJ2O |
| Updated | |
| at 11.01am BST | |
| 10.28am BST | 10.28am BST |
| 10:28 | 10:28 |
| Here are some images from the picket line at King’s College hospital, in south London: | Here are some images from the picket line at King’s College hospital, in south London: |
| Updated | |
| at 10.57am BST | |
| 10.18am BST | 10.18am BST |
| 10:18 | 10:18 |
| The Guardian’s Healthcare Network has a gallery of illustrations of junior doctors striking. | The Guardian’s Healthcare Network has a gallery of illustrations of junior doctors striking. |
| Related: Junior doctors go on strike – in illustrations | Related: Junior doctors go on strike – in illustrations |
| 10.04am BST | 10.04am BST |
| 10:04 | 10:04 |
| Aisha Gani | Aisha Gani |
| Doctors tell me more strikers have turned out on the picket line this time than before, with some estimating numbers at 200. There has been much public support – passers-by have taken stickers, shaken the hands of doctors and and wished them luck. Cyclists rang their bells while motorists beeped their horns. Sara, who works in mental health, said her department suffers when cuts are announced and doesn’t automatically get the support it needs. | |
| “I often think of patients who come to A&E in the middle of the night at crisis point and need the consistency of doctors and need the time. It’s not quick,” she said. | “I often think of patients who come to A&E in the middle of the night at crisis point and need the consistency of doctors and need the time. It’s not quick,” she said. |
| Spoke to Sara who works in mental health and said her department is first to get cut #JuniorDoctorsStrike pic.twitter.com/2YDou0YK9G | Spoke to Sara who works in mental health and said her department is first to get cut #JuniorDoctorsStrike pic.twitter.com/2YDou0YK9G |
| Updated | |
| at 10.55am BST | |
| 10.01am BST | 10.01am BST |
| 10:01 | 10:01 |
| Here’s the latest message to Jeremy Hunt from the BMA council chair, Dr Mark Porter: | Here’s the latest message to Jeremy Hunt from the BMA council chair, Dr Mark Porter: |
| ‘We continue to urge the Secretary of State to put patient care before political dogma’ #juniorcontract pic.twitter.com/zTTlVRhgtG | ‘We continue to urge the Secretary of State to put patient care before political dogma’ #juniorcontract pic.twitter.com/zTTlVRhgtG |
| For the sake of patients, the long-term future of the NHS and future generations of junior doctors on whose expertise and commitment we all depend, we continue to urge the secretary of state to put patient care before political dogma. | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.54am BST | |
| 9.56am BST | 9.56am BST |
| 09:56 | 09:56 |
| Steven Morris | Steven Morris |
| Josh Gaon is a second year junior doctor who would be at work at the acute medical unit at the Royal Bournemouth hospital. His emotions? Shock, sadness but also insulted at how he feels the government is treating the junior doctors. He makes an interesting point about the government’s suggestion that junior doctors don’t have the skills to analyse things like contracts. He says sifting information, making judgments, is a huge part of their job. | |
| Doctors strike - junior dr Josh Gaon outside the Royal Bournemouth hospital. His emotions: shocked, sad, insulted https://t.co/FKyu7Hh7Bk | Doctors strike - junior dr Josh Gaon outside the Royal Bournemouth hospital. His emotions: shocked, sad, insulted https://t.co/FKyu7Hh7Bk |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.53am BST | |
| 9.47am BST | 9.47am BST |
| 09:47 | 09:47 |
| Some of the more playful placards from the picket lines. | Some of the more playful placards from the picket lines. |
| Easily the best sign I've seen from the #JuniorDoctorsStrike so far https://t.co/4SitVHjajG pic.twitter.com/LjJ2r1UQFj | Easily the best sign I've seen from the #JuniorDoctorsStrike so far https://t.co/4SitVHjajG pic.twitter.com/LjJ2r1UQFj |
| Undoubtably of the most creative signs I've seen #JuniorDoctorsStrike pic.twitter.com/Sv4e44cYvq | Undoubtably of the most creative signs I've seen #JuniorDoctorsStrike pic.twitter.com/Sv4e44cYvq |
| And this tweet | And this tweet |
| Solidarity #JuniorDoctorsStrike Let's put our foot down & sack #SmirkingHunt pic.twitter.com/4sR8oBLfvv | Solidarity #JuniorDoctorsStrike Let's put our foot down & sack #SmirkingHunt pic.twitter.com/4sR8oBLfvv |
| 9.45am BST | 9.45am BST |
| 09:45 | 09:45 |
| This is a nice image from Hammersmith hospital, in west London: | This is a nice image from Hammersmith hospital, in west London: |
| A patient came from his hospital bed to give us his thanks and support ❤️😭 - this is why we'll never stop fighting pic.twitter.com/CBMxAkAVMv | A patient came from his hospital bed to give us his thanks and support ❤️😭 - this is why we'll never stop fighting pic.twitter.com/CBMxAkAVMv |