The ongoing strikes by junior doctors in England over pay and conditions have sparked a heated row between the government and the British Medical Association (BMA). In the midst of the record-breaking walk-out, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins made it clear that the NHS “doesn’t just belong” to striking doctors and cannot be “switched on and off on a whim”. She urged the junior doctors’ committee to call off the strikes so that negotiations can take place, emphasizing that the NHS belongs to all of us.
Ms Atkins further pledged to start talks with the BMA “in 20 minutes” if the strikes were called off, highlighting her willingness to engage in dialogue and find a resolution. She reiterated that the strikes have to be called off for negotiations to happen, as the functioning of the NHS affects not only the junior doctors but also the 1.3 million people who work in the healthcare system and the tens of millions of people it serves.
In response, the BMA criticized the government’s decision to stick rigidly to its principle of not negotiating while strikes are planned, calling it a “political choice” by Downing Street. Professor Philip Banfield, BMA council chairman, pointed out that the government had previously waived this principle for barrister strikes, questioning the need to waste time and money by refusing to talk now. He emphasized that the BMA is ready to talk 24/7 and urged the government to get back around the table with a credible offer to end the strikes.
The BMA’s demands for the junior doctors include full pay “restoration” to reverse real-term cuts since 2008, a new pay mechanism to prevent future decreases in pay against inflation and the cost of living, and a reformed pay review body to safeguard recruitment and retention of junior doctors. These demands highlight their concerns about the financial well-being and career prospects of junior doctors, who have faced a significant pay cut over the years.
The strikes by junior doctors have had a significant impact on the functioning of the NHS. Over one million appointments have been cancelled or rescheduled in the past year due to strike action by junior doctors and other NHS workers. The backlog was already at a record high before the industrial action began, and the strikes have only exacerbated the problem. This is a headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has made cutting NHS waiting lists one of his key pledges in an election year.
While the government has managed to resolve other disputes, such as making a new pay offer to senior doctors, the row with junior medics shows no signs of abating. More than 20 derogation requests have been submitted to the BMA for this round of strikes, but none have been approved so far. The BMA accuses NHS England and some trusts of not providing evidence that they have exhausted all other sources of staffing before recalling medics from the picket lines, accusing health leaders of misusing the system and bowing to political pressure to undermine the strike.
NHS England has stated that they will continue to engage with the BMA in good faith and address the process for considering patient safety mitigations. The government has backed NHS leaders’ efforts to mitigate the impact of the strikes, but Ms Atkins emphasized that this is being done independently of the government. She expressed concern about the serious consequences of the strikes, including the cancellation of 88,000 appointments during the last set of strikes in December.
Health officials have warned that this strike, coinciding with one of the busiest weeks of the year due to winter bugs and people seeking delayed healthcare after the Christmas break, will have even worse consequences. The first day of the strike saw critical incidents being declared at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth and by the NHS in Nottingham. Numerous hospitals reported busy emergency services and extreme heightened pressure.
The ongoing strikes by junior doctors demonstrate the deep divide between the government and the BMA regarding the pay and conditions of these healthcare professionals. As the strikes continue to disrupt the functioning of the NHS, it is clear that finding a resolution is crucial. Both sides need to engage in meaningful negotiations and consider the long-term impact of their decisions on the healthcare system and the millions of people it serves. The NHS belongs to us all, and it is imperative that we prioritize the well-being of both the junior doctors and the patients they care for.