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Do you back the junior doctors' strike?

Poll

Do you support the junior doctors' strike?

BBC News

Hospitals in England are facing major disruption as junior doctors have gone on strike in a dispute with the government over a new contract.

The doctors are providing emergency cover only during the 24-hour walkout, which got under way at 08:00 GMT.

The NHS has so far postponed 4,000 routine treatments, while appointments and tests are also being hit.

NHS chiefs said plans were in place to protect patients, despite David Cameron warning they could be put at risk.

In a last-minute plea for junior doctors to call off the action, the prime minister said the walkout would cause "real difficulties for patients and potentially worse".

Full story here


What's your take on today's strike? Are junior doctors right to take a stand or should they have called off the action?

Scroll to see replies

Yes, they are right to strike. There are times when I do question employees' decision to strike but I believe that in this case the JDs have sufficient cause.
I think that if they really wanted to do the best they could for their patients they could find a better way of dealing with the situation.

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i would be happy for them to have more money as long as they do not **** off to Australia or New Zealand or somewhere nice after their training.
The right to strike is a fundamental right.

Even Doctors should have this as a last resort.
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(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by the bear
i would be happy for them to have more money as long as they do not **** off to Australia or New Zealand or somewhere nice after their training.


It's not about more money.

It's about working longer hours unsafely for less money. It's about the despicable way that the government has gone about these impositions. It's about how they've bungled the negotiation process, systematically insulted the healthcare professions, intentionally manipulated data, twisted the truth and used the NHS as a political football.

Original post by Danny McCoyne
No they shouldn't f'ing strike. They should grin and bear it. It lasts for two years. And it goes by in a blink of an eye...If you say you love your job and you love 'helping' people. Then you shouldn't mind working for a few hours extra even if you're not compensated for it.


It's not two years. You're a junior doctor until you're a consultant. This could be 7-12 years. These are people in their mid 30s with families and mortgages. People who are required to pay thousands of pounds a year in exam fees, insurance, courses, membership fees etc.

For the record, we routinely work extra hours for free out of goodwill and care for our patients. I routinely arrive early and often leave late (can be two or three hours if someone becomes unwell on the wards). Almost always work through lunch and rarely take breaks while on shift. We can only bleed so much.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 7
Original post by Danny McCoyne
No they shouldn't f'ing strike. They should grin and bear it. It lasts for two years. And it goes by in a blink of an eye...If you say you love your job and you love 'helping' people. Then you shouldn't mind working for a few hours extra even if you're not compensated for it.


Junior doctors comprises every doctor that isnt a consultant, not just foundation years. That can be up to a minimum of 9 years for some specialities such as ear, nose and throat surgeons.
Original post by Danny McCoyne
No they shouldn't f'ing strike. They should grin and bear it. It lasts for two years. And it goes by in a blink of an eye...If you say you love your job and you love 'helping' people. Then you shouldn't mind working for a few hours extra even if you're not compensated for it.


You clearly have no clue. That is Victorian mentality. We are not in the 19th century any more. People including junior doctors have the right NOT to be worked into the ground and treated with respect and dignity, not taken advantage of and treated like crap.

Yes they have the right to strike and i hope it works for them.
Reply 9
I think they are right. Working long hours is unsafe both for patients and the doctors
Original post by DiddyDec
I think that if they really wanted to do the best they could for their patients they could find a better way of dealing with the situation.

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Like what? Striking is the only way to make the government listen.They have tried talking but they may as well be talking to a brick wall with Hunt.

Long term, striking is a much better deal for patients of the NHS.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by BaconandSauce
The right to strike is a fundamental right.

Even Doctors should have this as a last resort.


in my country , striking will get you fired straight after and no employer will hire you in future. :redface:
Original post by HucktheForde
in my country , striking will get you fired straight after and no employer will hire you in future. :redface:


Which is very sad

When I think of the rights that have been won and the improvements that have been gained from this action is quite alarming others are unable to use this very powerful tool
Original post by Danny McCoyne
No they shouldn't f'ing strike. They should grin and bear it. It lasts for two years. And it goes by in a blink of an eye...If you say you love your job and you love 'helping' people. Then you shouldn't mind working for a few hours extra even if you're not compensated for it.


Doctors are an example of where people deserve to get a higher financial reward for their work. We need to attract bright hardworking people to the NHS for these kinds of jobs. Money is an important factor (not the only factor by a long shot) that motivates people. If you overwork NHS doctors and under pay them less people will apply to be docotrs or will go elsewhere, wither to other countries or the private sector where they have even better pay and working conditions. That undermines the NHS, which to be honest is probbaly one of the reasons the Tories are doing this. They don't like the NHS, but it is popular with the public. The strategy to cut and dismantle popular services is to under fund and mismanage them, then claim they are broken and bring in the private sector to the rescue.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Danny McCoyne
No they shouldn't f'ing strike. They should grin and bear it. It lasts for two years. And it goes by in a blink of an eye...If you say you love your job and you love 'helping' people. Then you shouldn't mind working for a few hours extra even if you're not compensated for it.


Junior doctors are not just those in their F1/F2 years
Yes, absolutely, one hundred percent.
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
Like what? Striking is the only way to make the government listen.They have tried talking but they may as well be talking to a brick wall with Hunt.

Long term, striking is a much better deal for patients of the NHS.


It's also one of the easiest ways to turn the population against you if you have a government in a strong enough position to be able to stand their ground, and the balls to do so, the strikers will always cave first if the employer has the cash and will to keep going.

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Original post by Jammy Duel
It's also one of the easiest ways to turn the population against you if you have a government in a strong enough position to be able to stand their ground, and the balls to do so, the strikers will always cave first if the employer has the cash and will to keep going.

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That is exactly right.

The medical profession will rue the day this strike was called, Doctors have a special place in society and an almost unique respect (although this is declining in line with a general decrease in deference to authority figures) taking part in what is nothing more or less than a bog standard industrial dispute about money will irrevocably harm their reputation.

Moral kudos is hard earned but easily lost.
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
Doctors are an example of where people deserve to get a higher financial reward for their work. .


No, they deserve to get paid what the country (ie the NHS) can afford for the work they do.

And if that is not enough they are free to leave to work somewhere more lucrative. Many have done this, more will do so, and good luck to them.

But the NHS will just import more doctors from abroad, more than willing to do the work for much higher pay than they can earn in their home countries.

We are losing the product of an expensive education if they leave. But receiving the product of another country's expensive education for free, prepared to work for less.

Don't you just love uncontrolled immigration, Chaotic? :smile:
Yes, especially as it seems Mr Hunt has absolutely no intention of having a meaningful negotiation with them.


To me, it is incomprehensible why Mr Hunt still has his job after so universally annoying the medical profession.

Original post by Jammy Duel
It's also one of the easiest ways to turn the population against you if you have a government in a strong enough position to be able to stand their ground, and the balls to do so, the strikers will always cave first if the employer has the cash and will to keep going.

Posted from TSR Mobile


I'd argue the government need doctors significantly more than the doctors need the government.

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