Junior doctors are staging an “unprecedented” strike outside Croydon University Hospital today over the Government’s decision to impose a new contract.
It is the first round of industrial action to include emergency cover, with junior doctors withdrawing their service from emergency departments between 8am and 5pm today and tomorrow.
Today’s strike is the third since Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced he would impose a new contract by August and claimed the union had refused “point blank to discuss reforms”.
Under the contracts junior doctors will get an increase in their basic pay, but will have to work more weekends. Guaranteed pay rises linked to time in the job will be axed and bonus pay for working unsociable hours will be curbed.
FROM YESTERDAY: Junior doctors strike: Croydon Health Services NHS Trust postpones hundreds of appointments ahead of escalated walk-out
Yesterday Mr Hunt refused to re-enter negotiations with the doctors union, the British Medical Association (BME), despite the union saying they would call off the strike if he came back to the negotiation table.
Chris Jones, a senior A&E registrar at the hospital, is striking outside the London Road hospital for the first time today.
He said: “Our consultants are all covering us, I don’t think I would be here if all of our consultants hadn’t stepped forward to support us.
“The fact he is imposing it based on what he calls evidence just to prove that the disruption is purely down to junior doctors is deceitful and that is what angers people.
“The main concern is patient safety, I already work plenty of weekends as well as night shifts. In A&E we work some of the longest and most unsociable hours and the contract doesn’t protect us against that.
“Overworked and tired doctors can make mistakes and that is one of the biggest concerns.”
Chris Honstvet, a trainee anaesthetist at the hospital, said: “I am just devastated, it is just so clear that this contract is not well thought through, there is no evidence behind what is going on and he [Jeremy Hunt] still persists in imposing it on us.
“The public can see it, everybody else in parliament can see it, that this guy is losing control of the situation and is just digging his heels in and that is not what is best for the NHS, the patients or us.
“We just feel powerless and that is why today’s strike is so important because we are making headlines, we are entering public debate, we are speaking to people in Croydon and letting them know why we feel so passionately about this.
“There is so much scaremongering from the Government [about this strike] it is unreal.”
Alastair Brown, a trainee anaesthetist and the BMA representative at the hospital, said: “It is unbelievably disappointing and extremely short sighted.
“Unfortunately all he is achieving is polarising people more and more rather than bringing them back to the negotiating table to find a diplomatic solution.
“Morale in terms of being a doctor is extremely low but our resolve is probably the greatest it has been for quite some time, people have struggled to find their voice over the last month and I think, after the events of the last couple of weeks, that is not the case anymore.”
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Dr Johann Malawana, chairman of the BMA junior doctors committee said: “We have made the Government a clear offer as to what it will take avert industrial action.
“We offered a simple choice — lift imposition and the strikes would be called off, but unfortunately the health secretary simply refuses to do that.
“There is a reason why 54,000 doctors in this country are urging him to lift this imposition and get back round the table.”
Mr Hunt claimed today’s industrial action would disrupt over 110,000 outpatient appointments and over 12,500 operations.
He said: “I understand that some doctors may disagree with the Government over our seven-day NHS plans, particularly the introduction of a new contract.
“But, the new contract offers junior doctors that work frequently at weekends more Saturday premium pay than nurses, paramedics, the assistants that work in their own operating theatres, more than police officers, more than firefighters and more than every other worker in the public sector.
“Regrettably during this pay dispute more than 150,000 sick and vulnerable people have seen their care disrupted.
“The public will rightly question whether this is appropriate or proportionate action by professionals whose patients depend on them.”
RELATED: Jeremy Hunt accused of "bullying approach" in decision to force junior doctor contracts
Ahead of the industrial action Croydon Health Services NHS Trust postponed 806 appointments, 35 operations and 36 endoscopies.
Jayne Black, chief operating officer and deputy chief executive at the trust, said: ““This is the first time that junior doctors will not be providing emergency cover so we are bringing together all our resources across the Trust to ensure we have clinicians on the floor to care for people should they need emergency care during these two days.”
Anyone feeling unwell during the strike is asked to the NHS on 111 or speak to your GP or pharmacist.
You can also check your symptoms at nhs.uk/strike.
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