The BMA (British Medical Association) resident doctors -previously known as junior doctors- in England will be taking part in industrial action from this Friday that will affect hospitals including QEQM at Margate.
Continuous industrial action – day and night – will begin from 7am on Friday 25 July until 6.59am on Wednesday 30 July and many resident doctors working in East Kent will be taking part.
The action means the BMA is asking resident doctors to:
- Not begin any shift that is due to start after 06.59am on Friday 25 July
- Or before 06.59am on Wednesday 30 July.
The BMA, which represents resident doctors, is in dispute with the Government over pay and has balloted its members to take part in industrial action.
BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said: “We have been in talks with (Health Secretary) Wes Streeting and with his officials over the last few days, trying urgently to reach a compromise that will allow us to call off industrial action.
“We have always said that no doctor wants to strike and all it would take to avoid it is a credible path to pay restoration offered by the Government. We came to talks in good faith, keen to explore real solutions to the problems facing resident doctors today.
“Unfortunately, we did not receive an offer that would meet the scale of those challenges. While we were happy to discuss non-pay issues that affect doctors’ finances we have always been upfront that this is at its core a pay dispute. The simplest and most direct means of restoring the more than a fifth of our pay that has eroded since 2008 is to raise our pay.
“While we were keen to discuss other items, it was made very clear by the Government that this obvious course of action was going to remain off the table.”
On Tuesday (July 29) Save Our NHS campaigners will join doctors outside QEQM Ramsgate Road between 7.30am-noon to show their support.
Services on strike days
On the days of industrial action, East Kent Hospitals Trust will prioritise emergency treatment and patients seeking urgent treatment will be seen.
However, some routine appointments and procedures will need to be rescheduled. The Trust will contact patients who are affected. If you have an appointment and are not contacted, then the Trust asks that you attend,
If you are seriously ill or injured, or your life is at risk, you should continue to emergency care in the usual way. Call 999 or attend the Emergency Department.
If you need urgent medical help or advice (that won’t wait for a GP appointment), or if you are unsure about whether you should go to hospital, go to NHS 111 online (www.111.nhs.uk) first.
If you do not have internet access then dial 111 for free from any phone. Do not turn up to hospital without using 111 first. You can also visit your nearest pharmacy and can check opening times here.
If you need urgent medical attention, but it’s not a life-threatening situation, urgent treatment centres are open every day of the year for minor illness and injury. You can find out more on the website.
If you need urgent mental health support, you can get 24/7 access to your local crisis team via Mental Health Helpline for Urgent Help – NHS (www.nhs.uk).
GP services will be running as normal.
Nobody makes them work for the National Ill-health Service. They can simply apply for a role in private practice if they wish to improve their income and prospects. It is the way that 99% of the World’s doctors live. Why do they choose to paralyse in the short term and destroy in the long term the institution they claim to love/worship? Much like the coercive partner in an abusive relationship.
Are you cliff Richard? Harry.
If so I ❤️ you.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
In answer to your question… No.
Sorry.
So what your suggesting then Harry, is for patients to have to pay for their NHS for private treatment then, is that right? Duurh! Your a pillock Harry!
Not at all dear Dumpton. I didn’t mention patients. I was merely pointing out other choices that doctors employed within the NHS might make to achieve their personal financial goals.
As to the future of the NHS? I’d like to see it abolished yesterday. 99% of Humanity doesn’t have it. We don’t need the festering money pit either.
That is all!
Harry Webb -Why do you dislike the NHS? We’re lucky to have it.
I’ve researched it and other systems, rather than accepting the folkloric indoctrination at face value.
My mother left the UK when it was created. To work as a matron first in Sarawak and then the Emirates. Check out how many other medical professionals left. The better ones. It is a refuge for the less talented, who can’t cut the mustard. We would have much better outcomes without it.
Very badly misjudged action by the BMA. They already had a much bigger increase than any other group of public sector workers last year. The index they are using to argue their case is not the usual measure for assessing pay inflation. This action will do untold damage to the long term reputation of clinicians in the NHS.
Harry Webb-“The folkloric indoctrination” ? What on earth are you talking about? The introduction of the NHS has been and still is a lifesaver for the inhabitants of Britain who couldn’t and still can’t afford to pay private doctors and dentists.
I won’t “check out how many other medical professional left”. That number is irrelevant.
“professionals” not “professional”
Like I said…
How do the other 99% of Humanity survive without it?🙄
Harry ,bet you have used the NHS ,your a fool for running down the NHS,
Again.
Like I said. 99% of Humanity, etc.
As to the personal insult? Weapon of first resort for every genius.
Isn’t it the case that junior doctors’ salaries are 20% down on what they should be, if they’d had pay rises in line with inflation over the past 12 or so years?
Now this coming backlog of appointments and surgeries will not be because of this and upcoming strikes,as Kier Starmer and his party officials stated last year under a Tory government. Surely not , want to hear his reasons for it
Thought experiment….a plane lands at Gatwick that does not have clearance and 100 foreigners stream out then push thru the gates…. Do you think it would be allowed like it is in the channel
“the Brim”- what’s your comment got to do with the article?
Damn! I bought cliffs latest sexy calendar and wanted you to sign it if you were.
Never mind I’ve moved on to the Noel Edmonds bare chested one in new Zealand.
I would think that anyone working before 2008 would be in the same position. We had austerity in this country. If everyone went on strike the country would be on its knees more than it is already.
If I went to my boss and told them they owe me a 20% pay rise I would be shown the door. They got 22.9% last year and agreed to that, now they are gust being greedy and lazy as the can’t even be bothered to picket. As mentioned above if they don’t like the pay and working conditions, pay back your training and close the door behind you.