Resident doctors on strikes: ‘For those of us who are working class, the stakes are different’ | Doctors

THealth Secretary Wes Streeting hopes last week with the leaders of the British Medical Association, a “constructive ör meeting will prevent five -day planned strikes by doctors in the UK. In the meantime, the people are forced to feel very sympathy for the reason: recently voting showed that their established doctor’s strikes fell from 52% to 26% a year ago.

This was reflected among people when they contacted the Guardian to share their views on the planned industrial action – planned industrial action.

Since resident doctors were given a 22% increase in two years last summer, most of those who responded to an interest, including many settled doctors, expressed anger about the demands of a 29% wage increase in order to restore the real-ers value of their wages, as in 2008. However, there were also answers from resident doctors who fully supported strike plans.

26 -year -old El Qusous, an academic foundation doctor from the southwest of England: “No doctor wants to perform a strike: This is the last resort and to prevent these upcoming strikes is entirely in the hands of the government. No other professional payment is made in any sector except for doctors. We want to pay £ 22.50 per hour in a first year that earns £ 17 per hour.

“Wes Streeting said that payment restoration is a journey. However, when you receive inflation [based on the current RPI of 4.4%] Considering this year [pay offer] It means an increase of 1 %. [At this rate] Since 2008, it would take about 20 years to get back a 21% fee erosion.

“I know too many colleagues and friends who leave NHS well because they don’t feel valuable, and if these negotiations are not productive, this is something I think seriously.”

The general picture of the answers showed that most of those who plan to strike came from modest socioeconomic pasts, upset with high student loans and/or live in the expensive regions of the country, usually in the south of England.

Hassan, a doctor from London in his 20s, said, “Many doctors come from privileged pasts and have quietly accepted the erosion of our wage in the last decade. But it is different from the working class or public school history. Bets, I cannot trust my parents to clean or help my student debt: on its own.

“While some colleagues return from shifts to relaxed family owners, the others return to small, poorly furnished apartments and wonder how to deal with next month’s bills. This is about justice. I heartily support the strikes.”

Among the settled doctors against strikes, there was a special international doctor who spoke anonymous to the north -east of England. “I don’t think it is reasonable to strike with a significant increase in recent times. We also added benefits. We cannot expect to be faster in similarity.”

A senior anesthesia record officer from Bristol He said he had attended the previous strikes but would not support it. “Full wage restoration is a valuable target. It is not realistic to demand very quickly. Most importantly, Wes Streeting is interesting, showing the willingness of investment and reform. Finally, it is early and inefficient to emphasize against a government trying to correct NHS.

“More urgently, our profession is faced with a deeper crisis: Education bottlenecks and unemployed UK Medical graduates. We are going to a system with more doctors than jobs.

Almost all consultants who communicate opposed the planned strike action that said that it was “ethically wrong”, “unfair”, “narrow view veya or discredit the profession.

Among them was Kate Matharu from the Kent, which has been GP for 25 years. “It damages striking patients directly and indirectly,” he said. “Patients will have to wait longer for treatment, usually in pain. Our job was always difficult and I feel that it is a profession.”

While Matharu sympathized with young colleagues loaded with high student loans, he felt that people who put their financing in the first place should not go into the profession. “I can see the debt they have for the children who go to the university. But, the first thing I said to him is this: If you want to make a lot of money, don’t worry if you want to make a lot of money.”

A consultant from Midlands, who wanted to stay anonymous, said: “As cancer doctors, it is not an option to cancel, we cannot delay the treatment of patients. We will have to discuss the ward care to keep our most vulnerable patients safe. Last time, some of our resident doctors were emphasizing during the weekend.”

58 -year -old Pete Garnham, a 58 -year -old Yorkshire, who has been working on various local authority highways since 1991, was among many public sector workers who criticized the planned strikes. Orum I feel that doctors are greedy, irrational and will lose support from the public, ”he said.

“As a public sector worker, I understand how much financial complexity of this country is. Therefore, I do not expect a big wage increase to be ‘where it should be’ where it should be. Rather, rather, I am happy to accept the increase in inflation wage. [between 1.75% and 3.88%] Every year. All public sector employees will be affected by these irrational demands of doctors. “

Nick Jacobsen, a 54 -year -old GP from Cornwall, was to understand the financial estimation that many settled doctors faced but undecided about industrial action. “I’m really morally fighting with this strike, but [some] Settled doctors are really struggling to end. I was a doctor settled between 2007-2012. My tuition fees were paid, I had an NHS scholarship covering half of my living costs. I probably went out with £ 30,000 [student and maintenance] Loans. On this basis, I was happy to pay me.

“Today, the work is harder because NHS is weak and its demands are tremendous compared to 10 years ago. [often] More than £ 100,000. There are other factors on the housing stairs such as difficulties and cost of living. All this creates a discontented labor. It’s not really surprise that they have enough.

“At the same time, I think they should look at the bigger picture: after they are entitled to their fields of expertise, they will get much higher wages than most people, maybe they should only take their heads down and soldiers will not be forever. But what I really know about it, to be a senior doctor on the other side?”

“I don’t want to be in Wes Streeting’s shoes.”

Birmingham’s 33 -year -old Tom said that his wife, a doctor who completed his education, would not participate in any strike because he plans to leave NHS. “The basic payment is currently around 70 thousand-and night shifts with 85 thousand £ -100 thousand £. But we plan to leave England because it was told that he had no consultant position.

“There are hundreds of full -qualified doctors who are not promoted to the counselor. Why would the system be able to encourage and pay more and pay for them when they could get the same level of work for a portion of the cost?

“We will need to go anywhere else – Australia, Canada or the United States.”