Junior doctors' strike: All-out stoppage 'a bleak day'

[Bernie Sanders]

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-36134103

 

The first-ever all-out doctors' strike is a "bleak day", ministers say, but hospitals seem to be coping well during Tuesday's stoppage in England.

Junior doctors walked out of routine and emergency care at 08:00 BST.

The strike affects A&E, maternity and intensive care for the first time.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt expressed disappointment that the stoppage was taking place, but again said the government would not back down and halt the imposition of the new contract.

The walkout ends at 17:00 BST with further all-out action due to take place on Wednesday, between the same hours, in the protest against the imposition of the new contract from the summer.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Hunt described it as a "very, very bleak day" for the NHS, but said no union had the right to stop a government trying to act on a manifesto promise.

"The reason this has happened is because the government has been unable to negotiate sensibly and reasonably with the BMA."

Before the strike, government sources had indicated that they could not give in because the row had become political, with the BMA trying to topple the government, and other unions watching the dispute "like hawks". The BMA described this as ridiculous.

During the stoppage, hospitals can request that junior doctors return to work if needed, but as yet, no NHS trust has raised the alarm.

There have been reports that hospitals may be quieter than normal with patients heeding warnings to stay away unless absolutely necessary.

Steps taken include:
The postponement of nearly 13,000 routine operations and more than 100,000 appointments to free up staff
The cancellation of holidays and study leave
Redeployment of consultants, middle-grade doctors and nurses into emergency care
More GP appointments being kept free for last-minute requests
An increase in 111 staff on duty to allow the phone service to handle more calls

 

Why is this being allowed to happen? Take a lesson from Ronald Reagan with the Air Traffic Controller Strike. Send a message to these self-entitled brats, get back to work or you're sacked. Need to take a hard stance on these people or we'll end up like back in the 70s with union after union trying to jump on the strike bandwagon. On yer bike!

[thommo2010]

the government are trying to ruin the NHS fair play to these guys for standing up for something instead of sitting round whinging and doing nothing

[dilligaf]

the government are trying to ruin the NHS fair play to these guys for standing up for something instead of sitting round whinging and doing nothing

 

WHAT ?

[Bernie Sanders]

the government are trying to ruin the NHS

 

In what way? All I know is if these were McDonalds or KFC workers, nobody would give a damn about their new contract or if they got sacked for going on strike. They shouldn't be treated any differently. There are plenty of other people in the world who would be happy to come in and work under the new contract so on yer bike.

[Bernie Sanders]

standing up for something instead of sitting round whinging and doing nothing

 

Oh and that's exactly what they are doing. Were you making a joke there?

[wrighty]

 

the government are trying to ruin the NHS

 

In what way? All I know is if these were McDonalds or KFC workers, nobody would give a damn about their new contract or if they got sacked for going on strike. They shouldn't be treated any differently. There are plenty of other people in the world who would be happy to come in and work under the new contract so on yer bike.

 

 

 

That's where you're wrong. The NHS can't fill the vacant positions it has, let alone all of those that would be vacated by the sacked doctors.

 

I don't think the government are trying to ruin the NHS. They are probably trying to make it affordable from general taxation by slimming it down so that it covers emergencies only, and elective, routine work is privatised. In this aim the junior doctors are helping greatly by demonstrating that when they down tools, the consultants can quite comfortably step in to cover the essentials, albeit at the expense of doing their routine clinics and operating lists.

 

The government seem to know exactly what they're doing. They have no effective opposition from Corbyn, so they can do what they like.

[Tarne]

I respect their right to strike and I do believe they get some concessions, but will pretty much still have to go with the new contract.

[Mr Bear]

The BBC, the Daily Mail, they're all under full control of the kleptomaniac vermin in Westminster. The headlines are not truly representative of what is happening. It's all media manipulation of the gullible to pave the way for more looting.

[Chutney]

They pretty much exist to preserve life andit doesn't get more serious than that. Perhaps like Police and the Armed Forces it's time they lost their right to strike.

 

That said it has made me smile at the obvious frustration they have caused refusing to budge.

[Barrie Stevens]

They pretty much exist to preserve life andit doesn't get more serious than that. Perhaps like Police and the Armed Forces it's time they lost their right to strike.

 

That said it has made me smile at the obvious frustration they have caused refusing to budge.

 

The Police and armed forces are Crown Servants who take an oath and for that reason cannot strike.. Junior Doctors are not Crown Servants...

[hillshepherd]

 

They pretty much exist to preserve life andit doesn't get more serious than that. Perhaps like Police and the Armed Forces it's time they lost their right to strike.

 

That said it has made me smile at the obvious frustration they have caused refusing to budge.

 

The Police and armed forces are Crown Servants who take an oath and for that reason cannot strike.. Junior Doctors are not Crown Servants...

 

dont they [doctors] also take an oath?

[gerrydandridge]

The plan is to destroy the NHS and have an obama care style of health plan here, the media whores are constantly over exaggerating the failings of the NHS, the government are purposely under funding it, and now they have made the employees kick off in order to give the NHS even more bad press.....Get the message that it has to go into the public's mind and then they can go ahead and get rid of it without a public outcry, its the way these parasites work. These doctors are not very bright, they are being played.

[rmanx]

Yeah lets hold the people responsible for keeping people alive at gun point over their work conditions and pay...

 

And the result will be even less people wanting to become doctors.

 

Slap clap, you thick fucking idiots...

[rmanx]

The plan is to destroy the NHS and have an obama care style of health plan here, the media whores are constantly over exaggerating the failings of the NHS, the government are purposely under funding it, and now they have made the employees kick off in order to give the NHS even more bad press.....Get the message that it has to go into the public's mind and then they can go ahead and get rid of it without a public outcry, its the way these parasites work. These doctors are not very bright, they are being played.

For once you are talking sense.

[llap]

Sounds like a nutty conspiracy theory to me. The NHS is already a joke with these doctors and consultants being overpaid. Pay them half as much and maybe you'll get a) a budget for twice as many or b) see a brain drain with the best doctors and consultants entering the private sector. It's just not true that private healthcare need be more expensive. The NHS has been a conduit to impose an artificial scarcity on us, so they can hold us to ransom and expect special treatment. If they don't like the NHS, let's see how much they can make privately (starting with getting out of NHS hospitals and building their own; then we'll see them wishing they'd signed their new contracts and most of the useless ones will be filtered out and have to find alternative careers).