Doctors working in the UK’s public health sector have begun a four-day strike to protest pay and working conditions, in what is being described as the worst strike in history.
The four-day strike follows months of strikes by other public and private sector workers as inflation plunges Britain into its worst cost-of-living crisis in generations.
The move by so-called junior doctors comes after a three-day standoff last month and several strikes by nurses.Junior doctors are physicians who are not senior specialists but may have years of experience.
It threatens to be the worst strike ever, with millions of treatment appointments expected to be cancelled.
Protesters are demanding a 35 percent increase in doctor salaries, which they say is needed to truly make up for more than a decade of pay cuts.
They also say that due to the global epidemic, the workload has increased due to the blockage, shortage of staff, due to which the patients are at risk.
Katrina Forsyth, a junior doctor after finishing her night shift at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, said: ‘We’ve had a huge cut (in pay) and we’re filling more gaps because people are leaving’.
The government says the request from BMEs is unaffordable, as it tries to contain demands for higher public sector pay amid stagnant growth and high inflation.
After three straight months of slowdown, the consumer price index rose to 10.4 percent in February, near a 40-year high and more than five times the target set by the Bank of England.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “I intended to start formal negotiations with the BMA on pay last month but the demand for a 35 per cent pay rise is unreasonable.
The health secretary last month struck a deal with unions representing various health workers, including nurses, to offer a 5 per cent pay rise, with union members currently voting on whether to accept it.
However, the agreement did not include junior doctors who make up half of all doctors in the National Health Service.
Stephen Powis, the medical director of NHS England, warned that the recent strike by doctors would put serious pressure on health services.
According to the NHS Confederation, which represents the health systems of England, Wales and the Northern Isles, the strike could lead to the postponement of 250,000 appointments.
According to British media, family doctors have also stopped appointments for a week, Stephen Powis said the NHS is working hard to have staff available to provide emergency services but it is very critical and routine care. will be affected.
#Britain #health #system #paralyzed #due #doctors #strike #days
2024-08-23 22:30:07
