Sadly,
I am in favour of the #NHS #JuniorDoctors #NotSafeNotFair #JuniorContract strike. I
have worked under a system where the safeguards
to protect working hours that Jeremy Hunt wants to remove didn't exist.
Back then, that meant that the hospitals I worked in then ignored the advice on
safe hours. I wouldn't want my loved ones to be treated by me during the times
that I was so tired I fell asleep taking to a patient or couldn't remember how
or why I had treated a patient a certain way come the consultant ward round in
the morning.
The
thing is that loads of doctors, this being GP's, consultants and junior doctors
have already left the UK for more money for less work abroad. Two of my social
media friends are there, along with the
daughter of Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, doing just that. The junior
doctors do not want to strike, but like nurses and others in the NHS, market
forces will drive many away if we do not value them. Being a doctor means not
seeing your family as much as others and being in a profession with high rates
of divorce, alcoholism and suicide.
These
changes, like with the proposed changes to the #StudentNurses #NHSbursary will
harm safe staffing in YOUR NHS. Personally if the NHS goes tits up, I will
be better off. I have a job and GP's
like me are increasingly harder to recruit which means I
can always give up my job and work as a locum for less work, less stress and
more money. But the changes that are proposed will harm most of you as you
have no choice.
So
remember today that these Junior Doctors are not striking for more pay, or even
less hours but to stop hours being increased and pay
being cut for those working the most antisocial hours. And they would
rather have been working today to help people instead of being on strike.
