A union resident doctor committee says « pay back to the value that we think we’re worth » is being sought, as a six-day strike is held in England.
The resident doctor strike is likely to cause significant disruption to services, with those formerly called junior doctors making up nearly half of the medical workforce in the NHS.
British Medical Association (BMA) West Midlands resident doctor committee co-chair Dr Peter Fahey said a narrative that « doctors are really well paid, we play golf (a) couple of times a week » was « absolutely not true ».
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said 95% of appointments were in place and apologised to those affected by cancellations, saying they « deserve better ».
The NHS is urging patients not to put off seeking help if needed, saying those with emergency and urgent needs should use 999 and 111 as normal.
Those who have planned appointments and treatments scheduled should attend unless they are told otherwise. GP services are largely unaffected.
The walkout by BMA members comes after talks between the government and the union broke down last month.
Speaking at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham site, Dr Fahey said: « We’re still almost 20% down in real terms in our pay since 2008.
« While we’ve made some good progress up until this point, we want that pay restored back to the value that we think we’re worth. »
The committee co-chair added that in terms of jobs there were « thousands of doctors applying for training posts like myself ».
« I’m a GP trainee, training to be a fully qualified GP. Lots of doctors, they want to be the surgeons, they want to be a medical doctor, they want to be the A&E consultants that you see every day.
« But they’re unable to get into these training posts to progress and be better doctors for patients. »
Dr Fahey said « all we’re asking for is to be paid what we were before ».
« When I first qualified as a doctor, I earned £11.09 an hour. That’s now below minimum wage and that’s only five or six years ago. »
Streeting said the government had negotiated with the BMA « in good faith » and criticised the decision not to accept its latest offer – calling resident doctors « by a country mile the best winners of the entire public sector workforce when it comes to pay rises ».
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said the government had offered resident doctors a « generous deal ».
« Our attention and that of leaders across the NHS is now on protecting patients, staff and our NHS by minimising disruption to the health service. »
Resident doctors have just received a 3.5% pay rise – something given to all doctors.
Starting salaries are now just over £40,000, with the most senior doctors getting £76,500 in basic pay.
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