Junior doctors have gone back to work across Notts after the third strike of the year in protest at the Government’s imposition of a bitterly disputed new contract.
The strike started at 8am on Wednesday and lasted 48 hours – the longest action so far.
Across Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust, which runs Kings Mill and Newark Hospitals, 18 operations and 68 outpatients appointments were cancelled over the two days.
Nottingham University Hospitals, in charge of Nottingham City Hospital and the Queen’s Medical Centre cancelled 536 appointments.
Non-emergency procedures such as knee and hip replacements were among the most affected treatments.
Picture: Medics man a picket line outside the QMC this morning
As action started Nicky Hill, Director of Human Resources at Nottingham University Hospitals, said: “We are working with consultants, nurses and wider teams across NUH to ensure patient care is delivered as normal during the strike period, while recognising the legitimate right of our trainees to take action.
“We have identified and written to all patients whose appointments or surgery may be cancelled.”
Nearly 20,000 operation have been cancelled nationwide because of the three strikes.
What are junior doctors striking about?
The long-running dispute is between the BMA and the government over the planned introduction of a new contract.
There are currently 55,000 junior doctors in England, 38,000 of those are members of the BMA.
The main sticking points are the scrapping of guaranteed pay rises linked with time in the job and the scrapping of unsociable hour pay between 7am and 10pm on every day apart from Sunday.
The BMA argues this will mean junior doctors will get paid less whereas government ministers argue that the increase in basic pay will mean three quarters will actually get paid more.
The Government announced they would impose the new agreement in February after the BMA rejected the Government’s final offer.
Darren Chan, a junior doctor and BMA representative said: “I think that given the current circumstances junior doctors feel morally obliged to actually stand up and make a stand.
“We firmly believe in what we are doing and that this contract is truly unsafe.”
There are further strikes planned next month with 48 hour walk-outs starting 8am on April 8 and April 26.
Dr Chan added: “This problem won’t simply go away if politicians continue to bury their hands in the sand, we will continue to stand up for what we believe in.
“So like any of the strikes so far we will continue emergency care, the same care as any bank holiday or weekend, so we know patients will be safe.”
