THOUSANDS of junior doctors, NHS workers, trade unionists and supporters took to picket lines across the country yesterday, as the junior doctors took their second day of strike action.
At 10am, student nurses walked out on strike in solidarity with the junior doctors and joined the pickets.
Shaken by the overwhelming support for the junior doctors, Health Secretary Hunt stepped up his threat to seek to impose the new contract.
Dr Johann Malawana, BMA junior doctor committee chair, said: ‘With thousands of junior doctors attending more than 160 pickets and “meet the doctor” events across England, today’s action is a resounding rejection of the government’s threat to impose an unfair contract, in which junior doctors have no confidence.
‘We deeply regret the disruption caused to patients, but this is a fight for the long-term delivery of high quality patient care, for junior doctors’ working lives and for the ability of the NHS to rise to the enormous challenges facing it.
‘Junior doctors already work around the clock, seven days a week and they do so under their existing contract.
‘If the government want more seven-day services then, quite simply, they need more doctors, nurses and diagnostic staff, and the extra investment needed to deliver it.
‘Rather than addressing these issues, Jeremy Hunt has rejected a fair and affordable proposal put forward by the BMA and is instead ploughing ahead with proposals that could see many junior doctors voting with their feet.
‘That is why Wednesday’s action has the support not only of 98 per cent of those junior doctors who voted for it, but the majority of the public, who blame the government for backing junior doctors into a corner, leaving them with no option.’
Outside Sheffield Children’s Hospital, anaesthetic Registrar Joel Parfitt and SHO Stuart Barfield told News Line: ‘We are determined to keep striking and not to let this contract be imposed. It is heartening to see the level of support we are getting from the public.
‘This contract isn’t safe. If you are not paying for any more doctors, so that we have to work more weekends, we are going to be working less on weekdays.
‘The public don’t want that. 20% of paediatric posts are unfilled, GPs are understaffed. None of that is going to help.
‘Most of us are working one in four or one in six weekends.’
There was a good turnout of junior doctors on the picket lines at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. They were in high spirits, and gathered at the front of the hospital where passers-by were hooting them in support.
Rachel, a medical registrar, said: ‘I think it’s time for the government to take notice. 53,000 doctors can’t be wrong. We’re fighting not just for ourselves but the future of the NHS. As doctors, we care for our patients. They’re the most important and this contract is unsafe and will put our patients at risk by removing vital safeguards, and by stretching us to do more out-of-hours work leaving holes in the week. The bigger picture is that they are opening the door to mass privatisation.’
Rhian, registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, told News Line: ‘As a junior doctor, it’s not about the money. It’s about how safe I feel operating at 4am in the morning.’ Her colleague Ali, said: ‘We also need to make sure that the hours we work are monitored, so that we do not get driven to exhaustion.’
Over 200 junior doctors and their supporters picketed Northwick Park Hospital yesterday. Their favourite chant was, ‘Save our NHS, Save Our NHS’ and they were addressed by BMA junior doctors’ leader Malawana, who thanked them for their magnificent turnout.
Susan Arasaretnam, NHS singer and junior doctor said: ‘Junior doctors are sorry to be forced to go on strike. We want to be with patients but we have no choice. Every time we enter negotiations we are turned away. The reason we are here is because we believe the contract is unsafe. We need properly regulated contracts, with safe hours, fair pay and ultimately to provide care for patients.
‘We are fighting for the survival of the NHS and safe working practices so we can provide the world class care that the NHS is known for.’