Resident Physicians in England to Begin Five Consecutive Day Walkout Next Month
Doctors in England are preparing to begin a five-day walkout in November, in protest over pay and employment.
Strike Details
The British Medical Association (BMA) stated that resident doctors will strike for five days in a row from November 14 at 7am to November 19 at 7am.
Junior physicians, who make up about half of all medical staff in the NHS, are proceeding with the strike after failed negotiations with the health department.
Causes of the Walkout
Dr Jack Fletcher commented, “This is not where we wanted to be. We have spent the last week in talks with officials, pressing the health secretary to resolve the scandal of unemployed physicians.”
“Our survey reveals 50% of second-year physicians in England are facing unemployment, their talents being unused whilst millions of patients wait endlessly for treatment and shifts in hospitals remain vacant. This is a situation which cannot go on.”
He continued, “We talked with the government in good faith, hoping the minister to understand that a agreement including options to slowly restore the pay reductions over a number of years, giving recent graduates a pay increase of only £1 per hour for the next four years.”
“We trusted the authorities would see that our asks are not just fair but are in the best interests of the public and our those we treat and would also help prevent our doctors departing from the health service.”
Who Are Resident Physicians?
Resident doctors have as much as eight years of experience practicing in hospitals, based on their field, or as many as three years in primary care.
Further information are expected shortly.
