Junior Doctors have been on strike since last week in efforts to improve their pay by 35%, along with Consultants aiming to raise theirs by 11%.
They have said strikes are going to continue until they get a “credible” offer from the government. The government have offered them 8.8%.
Ahead of the strikes, the NHS had advised people to plan ahead for their healthcare as strike action has left many patients with cancelled or delayed appointments. The government are also making attempts to keep everyone safe during these uncertain times, stating that the immediate concern has to be with the patients.
According to the LBC, one million appointments have been cancelled because of doctors’ strikes, with official figures to be announced later today.
Doctor and BMA representative Chris Morris said, “we all think its massively important because we feel if we don’t take the strike action to address the pay cuts we’ve faced in the past fifteen years the retention of Doctors in the NHS will be a big problem, and quite frankly, there won’t be any doctors left in the NHS.”
This is the third walkout by Consultants and the sixth by Junior Doctors, with the future of the NHS looking unstable, second year medicine student Nancy Edmonson said, “I’m really glad that the doctors feel so passionate to fight for what’s right and what they deserve however, it does make me think, did I chose the right decision to work in the NHS and what will it be like when I qualify. Will it be better or will it be worse.”
Previous Consultant strikes last month saw 45,800 appointments disrupted and around 6000 staff were off per day due to industrial action.
There is set to be further strike dates from October 2 to October 4.
