Junior Physicians in the UK to Stage Five-Day Strike in November
Doctors in the UK are preparing to stage a five-day walkout next month, due to disputes regarding pay and employment.
Strike Details
The BMA announced that resident doctors will walk out for five days in a row from 7am on 14 November to 7am on 19 November.
Resident doctors, who constitute nearly 50% of all medical staff in the National Health Service, are taking this action after unsuccessful talks with the health department.
Causes of the Walkout
Dr Jack Fletcher commented, “We did not want to reach this point. We have spent the last week in talks with government, urging the health secretary to end the scandal of doctors going unemployed.”
“Our survey reveals 50% of second-year physicians in the UK are struggling to find jobs, their talents being unused whilst countless individuals endure long waits for care and hospital shifts remain vacant. This cannot continue.”
He added, “We negotiated sincerely, keen for the health secretary to understand that a deal including options to gradually reverse the pay reductions over several years, giving newly trained doctors a raise of only £1 per hour for the coming four years.”
“We trusted the government would see that our demands are not just fair but are in the best interests of the community and our those we treat and would also help prevent our doctors leaving the NHS.”
About Resident Doctors
Junior physicians have as much as eight years of experience working as a hospital doctor, based on their field, or as many as three years in general practice.
More details are expected shortly.
