5 Day Walkouts


“Overworked doctors make mistakes!”

“Strikes will put patient safety at risk!”

These two quotes encapsulate the overall points of view towards the epidemic of junior doctor strikes. This week on Universal Medicine, we will be exploring the new proposed strikes and the controversy which has arisen as a result.

On 5th July 2016, the poll results from junior doctors in regards to imposing the new contract was revealed: 42% in favour and 58% opposing. Despite this majority, the Government decided to still impose this new contract from early October; the results of the poll have clearly not influenced their decision, causing much uproar and uncertainty. Following the failure to bring about a mutual agreement, junior doctors have proposed 5 day walkouts every month, beginning from September.

These planned strikes have caused much insecurity for the public and junior doctors. On one hand, the public argues that the doctors’ union is striking at the expense of patient safety. Indeed, the public are worried that this could risk lives and is going against the Hippocratic Oath of “do no harm”. As a result of this walkout, it has been suggested that 125,000 operations are set to be cancelled, leading to fears of patients experiencing fear and distress whilst in Hospitals. Conversely to this argument, others argue that the limitations of safeguarding policies within the new contract are the real threat to patient safety. This is because it is being argued that doctors may indeed be made to work excessive hours – which, in the long term, could increase the risks of mistakes occurring during the delivery of care. Hence, the other side of the argument is that these strikes are the way to sustain, if not improve, the level of patient safety in conjunction with providing quality care within the NHS.

However the Chair of the British Medical Association Junior Doctors Committee– Dr Ellen McCourt – said that the proposed walkout commencing from 12th September has been suspended. The Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has now been given a month to prevent the new contract from being implemented. Otherwise, 5 day walkouts will be set to take place in October, November and December.

Indeed, much controversy has been sparked due to this contract, amplifying the instabilities of the NHS. We hope that a mutual agreement can be reached between the Government and the junior doctors, healing these wounds in our health service. Thank you for reading this week’s blog and we would love to hear your views of these strikes and the way forward.

Written by Gagandeep Sachdeva
Universal Medicine                                           

Sources:
-          https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/05/junior-doctors-suspend-planned-five-day-strike-in-september

-          http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/31/breaking-junior-doctors-to-continue-industrial-action-in-bitter/

-          http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3774641/Junior-doctors-call-week-s-five-day-strike-admit-fears-patient-safety-forced-hand.html

Comments

  1. Jack4 December 2016 at 20:15

    This is absolutely unfair! Patients are being put at risk if they decide to go on strike. Although I understand it must be difficult to work through the excessive hours, there must be a solution to this issue. Patients should be the priority in this situation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Universal Medicine4 December 2016 at 20:30

      Very good argument. Patient safety is the primary concern. However, with the implementation of the new contract, you potentially risk doctors being overworked and overworked doctors can make mistakes. Striking may not have been the best option if this was the first action. It was, infact, the only option left as other means didn't elicit a response. They had no other choice...

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