This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/01/junior-doctors-five-day-strike-contracts-nhs
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| 'I feel very conflicted': junior doctors and colleagues on the five-day strike 'I feel very conflicted': junior doctors and colleagues on the five-day strike | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The dispute between junior doctors and the government has reached a new low with a five-day walkout (the longest such action in the history of the NHS) planned for this month. | The dispute between junior doctors and the government has reached a new low with a five-day walkout (the longest such action in the history of the NHS) planned for this month. |
| It comes amid a year of demonstrations and strikes over new contracts that junior doctors say stretch staff to the limit and will put lives at risk. The latest action comes despite the fact an agreement was nearly met in May – but eventually rejected by BMA members, with 58% voting against and 42% in favour. | It comes amid a year of demonstrations and strikes over new contracts that junior doctors say stretch staff to the limit and will put lives at risk. The latest action comes despite the fact an agreement was nearly met in May – but eventually rejected by BMA members, with 58% voting against and 42% in favour. |
| So what’s the mood like now among junior doctors? Who is in favour of the strike? How do others in the profession feel? We asked junior doctors and their colleagues to share their views. | So what’s the mood like now among junior doctors? Who is in favour of the strike? How do others in the profession feel? We asked junior doctors and their colleagues to share their views. |
| Nicola, junior doctor, 30, London: ‘I see no other option but to strike again – the new contract is fundamentally flawed’ | Nicola, junior doctor, 30, London: ‘I see no other option but to strike again – the new contract is fundamentally flawed’ |
| I am disappointed we are striking again but see no other option. Most of us agree that the new contract is fundamentally flawed. While we welcome a truly seven-day NHS, it’s nonsense to think we can do this is by taking doctors off weekday shifts and getting them to work more weekends. This will just lead to staffing shortages during the week. Those who voted for the new contract mostly did it out of resignation, thinking that the government would just push it through anyway. I’ve yet to meet any NHS staff member who thinks it’s a good idea. | I am disappointed we are striking again but see no other option. Most of us agree that the new contract is fundamentally flawed. While we welcome a truly seven-day NHS, it’s nonsense to think we can do this is by taking doctors off weekday shifts and getting them to work more weekends. This will just lead to staffing shortages during the week. Those who voted for the new contract mostly did it out of resignation, thinking that the government would just push it through anyway. I’ve yet to meet any NHS staff member who thinks it’s a good idea. |
| We are struggling to provide a five-day service as it is, in some instances resorting to treating patients in corridors. We are seeing hospitals close and operations cancelled regularly due to staff shortages. To stretch us even further, without proper investment, will cause greater damage to patients than this strike. | We are struggling to provide a five-day service as it is, in some instances resorting to treating patients in corridors. We are seeing hospitals close and operations cancelled regularly due to staff shortages. To stretch us even further, without proper investment, will cause greater damage to patients than this strike. |
| Katie, junior doctor, 28, London: ‘A five-day strike makes me nervous. My main concern is what the public will think’ | Katie, junior doctor, 28, London: ‘A five-day strike makes me nervous. My main concern is what the public will think’ |
| I feel very conflicted. The idea of a five-day strike makes me nervous and is not something I would do if there was another option. My main concern is how this will affect public opinion of us. I am less worried about patient safety, because I know that my seniors will step up and fill gaps. Having said that, I don’t like spending time away from the hospital because I became a doctor to look after people and I love my job. | I feel very conflicted. The idea of a five-day strike makes me nervous and is not something I would do if there was another option. My main concern is how this will affect public opinion of us. I am less worried about patient safety, because I know that my seniors will step up and fill gaps. Having said that, I don’t like spending time away from the hospital because I became a doctor to look after people and I love my job. |
| However, I don’t know what else we can do. I work in a speciality that is already understaffed and overstretched. We provide a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service. We are always there in case we are needed, whatever the time, but we are stretched to breaking point. The idea of being able to provide more cover for elective care at weekends is ludicrous. It will just lead to even higher rates of burnout, and – ironically – fewer staff. What’s more, just moving doctors around is not going to provide the kind of service that Jeremy Hunt is talking about. Many NHS staff already work 24/7 – doctors, nurses, porters, lab staff, radiographers etc – but many don’t. You can’t run a full elective service without a full staff. The new contract doesn’t address this. | However, I don’t know what else we can do. I work in a speciality that is already understaffed and overstretched. We provide a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service. We are always there in case we are needed, whatever the time, but we are stretched to breaking point. The idea of being able to provide more cover for elective care at weekends is ludicrous. It will just lead to even higher rates of burnout, and – ironically – fewer staff. What’s more, just moving doctors around is not going to provide the kind of service that Jeremy Hunt is talking about. Many NHS staff already work 24/7 – doctors, nurses, porters, lab staff, radiographers etc – but many don’t. You can’t run a full elective service without a full staff. The new contract doesn’t address this. |
| The way our contract currently runs, there is also scope for a degree of continuity of care. So, for example, on my current rota I sometimes work 11-day stretches in one place, so that I can look after the same patients over a period of time. But this would change under the new contract, which puts patient safety at risk. | The way our contract currently runs, there is also scope for a degree of continuity of care. So, for example, on my current rota I sometimes work 11-day stretches in one place, so that I can look after the same patients over a period of time. But this would change under the new contract, which puts patient safety at risk. |
| David Harris, operations director, 54, East Yorkshire: ‘This five-day strike will put hundreds of lives at risk’ | David Harris, operations director, 54, East Yorkshire: ‘This five-day strike will put hundreds of lives at risk’ |
| The current contract on offer to junior doctors is extremely reasonable, and was agreed by the largest union and the majority of doctors (if you include those who abstained). However, the other so-called caring minority have decided to hold this five-day strike that will put hundreds of lives at risk. They should be ashamed of themselves. | The current contract on offer to junior doctors is extremely reasonable, and was agreed by the largest union and the majority of doctors (if you include those who abstained). However, the other so-called caring minority have decided to hold this five-day strike that will put hundreds of lives at risk. They should be ashamed of themselves. |
| Rachel, general practitioner, 50, Brighton: ‘This is no longer about junior doctor contracts, it’s about morale across the NHS’ | Rachel, general practitioner, 50, Brighton: ‘This is no longer about junior doctor contracts, it’s about morale across the NHS’ |
| I was wary of the strike before. I didn’t actively oppose it, but felt that if I were a junior doctor I wouldn’t have taken part. Now I enthusiastically back the strike, however. This is no longer only about the junior doctor contract, it is about morale, about widespread burnout, and the inability to practise medicine safely. This is an issue that affects all doctors in the NHS and I will stand shoulder to shoulder with my junior doctor colleagues. We are all struggling. Many of my most experienced colleagues have left or are planning to leave. The mood among all doctors is gloomy. I regularly see senior doctors in tears because of the service we are now expected to offer. | I was wary of the strike before. I didn’t actively oppose it, but felt that if I were a junior doctor I wouldn’t have taken part. Now I enthusiastically back the strike, however. This is no longer only about the junior doctor contract, it is about morale, about widespread burnout, and the inability to practise medicine safely. This is an issue that affects all doctors in the NHS and I will stand shoulder to shoulder with my junior doctor colleagues. We are all struggling. Many of my most experienced colleagues have left or are planning to leave. The mood among all doctors is gloomy. I regularly see senior doctors in tears because of the service we are now expected to offer. |
| Jack Stewart, junior doctor, 28, London: ‘I voted in favour of the new contract, but am now backing this strike’ | Jack Stewart, junior doctor, 28, London: ‘I voted in favour of the new contract, but am now backing this strike’ |
| I voted yes to the contract in May because, with the tumult surrounding Brexit, it felt like the best deal we were likely to get. However, I completely understand why 60% voted no, as it was still a flawed deal. I am in favour of the strike – we have to view this as short-term pain for long-term gain - for our patients as well as us. We still have a lot of colleagues who back us: nurses, porters, radiographers all regularly express their support for the cause. | I voted yes to the contract in May because, with the tumult surrounding Brexit, it felt like the best deal we were likely to get. However, I completely understand why 60% voted no, as it was still a flawed deal. I am in favour of the strike – we have to view this as short-term pain for long-term gain - for our patients as well as us. We still have a lot of colleagues who back us: nurses, porters, radiographers all regularly express their support for the cause. |
| Alice, junior doctor, Cheshire: ‘We should go further than a five-day strike. I propose a walkout until new contracts are agreed’ | Alice, junior doctor, Cheshire: ‘We should go further than a five-day strike. I propose a walkout until new contracts are agreed’ |
| I’m glad we are striking, but if anything, I think the action should be more severe (for instance, a full walkout for 24 hours a day until the situation is resolved). The BMA should have drafted a contract junior doctors accepted, and threatened to strike until it was agreed. | I’m glad we are striking, but if anything, I think the action should be more severe (for instance, a full walkout for 24 hours a day until the situation is resolved). The BMA should have drafted a contract junior doctors accepted, and threatened to strike until it was agreed. |
| Strike action is disruptive to patients and staff (although I should add, not dangerous as consultants are of course working), and in my opinion the government has shown no intention of negotiating on this. It is therefore my belief that a full and indefinite walkout until our terms are met, would be the best way to resolve the issue. | Strike action is disruptive to patients and staff (although I should add, not dangerous as consultants are of course working), and in my opinion the government has shown no intention of negotiating on this. It is therefore my belief that a full and indefinite walkout until our terms are met, would be the best way to resolve the issue. |
| I should mention that junior doctors have not asked for a pay rise at any point, and the idea of a seven-day NHS is un-costed, not adequately planned for, not necessary and completely impossible without huge investment from the government (which is never going to happen). I want to see a fair contract where doctors are valued, withproper safeguards in place to protect patients (the New Zealand/ Australia contracts for junior doctors are a good example of how this could work). | I should mention that junior doctors have not asked for a pay rise at any point, and the idea of a seven-day NHS is un-costed, not adequately planned for, not necessary and completely impossible without huge investment from the government (which is never going to happen). I want to see a fair contract where doctors are valued, withproper safeguards in place to protect patients (the New Zealand/ Australia contracts for junior doctors are a good example of how this could work). |
| Tom, consultant psychiatrist, 46, London: ‘It’s very sad that it’s come to this but the responsibility lies with Hunt’ | Tom, consultant psychiatrist, 46, London: ‘It’s very sad that it’s come to this but the responsibility lies with Hunt’ |
| I think the medical profession has been pushed into this extraordinary situation by a health secretary who seems to take great pleasure in alienating an entire generation of doctors. It’s very sad that it’s come to this but the responsibility lies overwhelmingly with Hunt. | I think the medical profession has been pushed into this extraordinary situation by a health secretary who seems to take great pleasure in alienating an entire generation of doctors. It’s very sad that it’s come to this but the responsibility lies overwhelmingly with Hunt. |
| I support the strikes. The government’s position is clearly ideological, given their selective disregard for the supposed evidence base for “a seven-day NHS”. It’s important to them to break the back of the medical profession – and, therefore, NHS staff as a whole – in order to smooth the way for privatisation. A demoralised workforce is a compliant workforce. | I support the strikes. The government’s position is clearly ideological, given their selective disregard for the supposed evidence base for “a seven-day NHS”. It’s important to them to break the back of the medical profession – and, therefore, NHS staff as a whole – in order to smooth the way for privatisation. A demoralised workforce is a compliant workforce. |
| Paul, junior doctor, 31, Shrewsbury: ‘I feel powerless in this dispute, and am tempted to move abroad or leave medicine’ | Paul, junior doctor, 31, Shrewsbury: ‘I feel powerless in this dispute, and am tempted to move abroad or leave medicine’ |
| I feel very torn about this strike, as I did about the contract offer, which I reluctantly voted to accept. I worry about the impact of the strike on public perceptions of the dispute, as well as on patients themselves. It will also impact my training as I have modules I need to have signed off that I am timetabled to complete during the strike dates. I feel increasingly powerless in this dispute, and that, more than anything is pushing me to consider a career abroad or even out of medicine. | I feel very torn about this strike, as I did about the contract offer, which I reluctantly voted to accept. I worry about the impact of the strike on public perceptions of the dispute, as well as on patients themselves. It will also impact my training as I have modules I need to have signed off that I am timetabled to complete during the strike dates. I feel increasingly powerless in this dispute, and that, more than anything is pushing me to consider a career abroad or even out of medicine. |