Junior Doctors Strike Again!

Junior doctors’ fourth strike hits NHS in England.

09:11 06 April 2016

Junior doctors in England are taking part in a 48-hour strike that started at 08:00 BST over government’s decision to impose changes to their pay and conditions from this summer.

 

BMA junior doctors' leader Johann Malawana said: "By pursuing its current course, the government risks alienating a generation of doctors.

 

"If it continues to ignore junior doctors' concerns, at a time when their morale is already at rock bottom, doctors may vote with their feet which will clearly affect the long-term future of the NHS and the care it provides.

 

"Responsibility for industrial action now lies entirely with the government. They must start listening and resume negotiations on a properly funded junior doctors' contract to protect the future of patient care and the NHS."

 

Although doctors provide emergency services, over 5,000 operations and procedures have been postponed.

NHS England said that the junior doctor’s fourth strike was “deeply regrettable.”

 

Dr Anne Rainsberry, of NHS England, said: "As always, the safety and care of patients is our number one priority and everything possible is being done to make sure patients will still be able to access urgent and emergency services."

 

Meanwhile, Patients Association chief executive Katherine Murphy, said: "Junior doctors are the backbone of the NHS and it is vital that they are able to provide the safe and effective care that patients need. Such a highly trained and valuable part of the NHS should not be disregarded so lightly.

 

"At a time when financing the NHS is already at breaking point, we should not further risk losing more doctors whose training is funded by the public purse."