England’s junior doctors go on strike as contract talks fail

The new chapter in a long-running dispute focuses on the latest contract, which Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced he would impose without the okay of the British Medical Association, which represents the physicians.

She explained that the Government’s proposed 11 per cent pay increase in junior doctors” salary would not make up for the “uplifts’ they would lose for working anti-social hours and would mean a real-terms pay cut of as much as 50 per cent for some.

Speaking on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the BMA, said: “The BMA does regret the disruption to patients that will be caused by tomorrow’s industrial action, but the government has left junior doctors in Worcester and throughout the rest of the country with no choice”.

He said the deal was an “important step” to improving care at weekends.

JUNIOR doctors formed a picket line for the second round of strikes outside the Royal Berkshire Hospital today.

Thousands of junior doctors returned to work from 8am on Thursday after staging a second 24-hour strike across England.

“Following the announcement of a strike by the British Medical Association, we have put a number of measures in place to ensure that patient safety is not compromised during the industrial action due to take place on Wednesday, February 10″.

Deputy Chairman of the Junior Doctors’ Committee, Dr Aaron Borbora, told JMU Journalism: “This is not just a question of pure money, we believe that Saturdays are a special time that we can spend with our families”.

“Last weekend, thousands of us took to the streets of London and Bristol to show that our fight for a properly negotiated contract continues“.

“However, I very much welcome the Cabinet Secretary’s statement that Scotland will not impose any contract on junior doctors working north of the border. If the Government want more seven-day services then, quite simply, it needs more doctors, nurses and diagnostic staff, and the extra investment needed to deliver it”.

“Patients suffer when governments drag their feet on high hospital mortality rates, and this government is determined our NHS should offer the safest, highest quality care in the world”, Hunt said.

The row over a new contract for junior doctors in the United Kingdom that led to a strike is set to escalate after the government unilaterally imposed the changes today.

“Responsibility for this strike rests firmly with the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt”.