Would you support the doctors' strike.

www.pulsetoday.co.uk/home/finance-and-practice-life-news/gps-have-faced-too-much-criticism-says-nhs-england-medical-director/20030656.article

Can you believe this?

Why has it taken him so long to realise?

nhap.org/nurses-will-vote-with-their-feet-says-dr-clive-peedell/

NHA Christmas message. Stop our nurses going abroad. Stop taking money out of the NHS.

I wonder of Hunt or Cameron downloaded the NHS Christmas song.

www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/dr-yannis-gourtsoyannis/your-junior-doctors-need-you

A message about the doctors strike.

The government want this strike, it's a political move just as Thatchers move on the miners , they want to destroy the NHS and so have pushed the doctors into this

"We are in no doubt that Osborne, Cameron and Hunt will use the proposed doctor’s contract as a tool for achieving the destruction of safe terms and conditions throughout the NHS and throughout the public sector. The Conservative Party is attempting to stretch the NHS into an ostensibly 7-day elective service whilst simultaneously launching the biggest assault on NHS resources in its history. The politics of austerity represents a clear and present danger to the nation’s health.

A victory for the Junior Doctors would signify the first real crack in the entire edifice of austerity in the UK.

Please stand with us. And when you need us, ask us. We will stand by you."

From the article. They want the public to stand with them at the picket lines.

I think the public will Jen, well not the far right

www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/dr-yannis-gourtsoyannis/your-junior-doctors-need-you

Yes, anyone on facebook, can you put the link on please?
Have sent it to all I know who are on facebook.

I don't know if anyone saw a JD being interviewed yesterday but the government rep was staying they had offered x percent and she replied that you could offer 20%, 30% or even twice what they were earning and it wouldn't help. She said use the money for more doctors, more nurses and more people in other areas.

The government either just don't get it or they are obsessed with making the NHS smaller and pushing people out to no care or private care.

I believe this government is committed to reducing or getting rid of pretty much all areas of public service, including education and health. This thread is about the NHS but in support of my comment I'll simply say "free schools and academies - no local authority oversight or protection"

The NHS is a long way down the road to privatisation. I feel as a country we've allowed the government to sleep walk us into losing an institution with a proud and much loved history. GP practices are going under, specialist services gradually disappearing. The lack of availability for NHS dentistry pushed many of us into the private sector and it seems clear that podiatry is going the same way. It is very depressing and shocking that junior doctors feel there is no option but to strike. Yes I support them.

I have to agree Iam64. It is not really about money or "what we can afford" nor is it the case that those who oppose privatisation do not understand that changes must be made - in fact change is essential to move forward and make what we have cover what we need - but that is not what this is about (and I agree re education too). This is about politics and the politics of the capitalist. I too support the doctors.

Reading back through this thread janeainsworth wrote, have you ever been in hospital over the weekend?

I will share my recent experience.

As many of you know my mum is serioulsy ill and is a dialysis patient. She also has terminal bone cancer and is in pain 24/7.

The longest time she can go without dialysis is 2 days so you ca imagine what it is like during Christmas/New year holidays can't you?

She has been extremely poorly over the Christmas break and took a very bad turn whilst on dialysis on Saturday 2nd January (she would normally have been there on the Friday). Frantic searches by the nurses on the wards could not find a doctor. Any bloody doctor. Anywhere.

The result of this was advice to come off her dialysis 2 hours early, get an ambulance home and ring the GP which we did. The out of hours GP was shocked (to say the least) that she had been allowed to leave a hospital in that state, never mind the fact that there were no doctors (junior or otherwise) available to see her.

You could not make this up ! I spoke with another gransnetter on 2nd January who asked "where the hell would you expect to go to see a doctor, the supermarket?"

Well aparently it is not in a huge hospital at the weekend !

I am afraid I can't see what conclusion you are reaching in your post gillybob?

I do, indeed, have my blood tests done at my local supermarket but I appreciate that this was a horrible situation for you to be in.

The conclusion I am reaching Gracesgran (although still trying to figure it all out) is that there were obviously so few doctors on duty/at work over the holiday period that being in hospital was probably not the best place to be ill.

Doctors cannot work a seven day week, more staff is needed but that means more money

My sister had a heart attack in December, a Saturday, rushed to hospital , had another attack was taken to another hospital accompanied by a nurse from the cardiac unit, she arrive at the second hospital and within fifteen minutes was in theatre , this was now late Saturday evening

Thanks gillybob. That seem to be exactly what the JD in the interview I saw was saying. She pointed out that you cannot keep spreading the number of doctors we now have thinner and thinner - hence her saying that any extra money should be used for more.

They do seem to be very worried about the safety of the patient.

(Have to say my mind is still spinning about how your Mum was treated )

I agree that a doctor cannot be expected to work a 7 day week Anniebach but "doctors" as a whole should be expected to work 5 from 7 on a rota basis. Just like millions of other people do in hundreds of different jobs

Gracesgran I think the supermarket was a tiny touch of sarcasm from another GN member whom I spoke to on Saturday (apologies for the confusion). Basically she said "..... where the hell would you be expected to see a doctor on a Saturday? A bloody supermarket?"

My mum was taken home by ambulance and the acute care team came out to see her within an hour. She was sedated.

I must say being taken home very ill seemed to be a bit backside foremost to me as it would normally be the other way around.

But only if enough of staff to fill the rota gillybob and a twelve hour day dealing with the care of people's lives must be more stressful than driving a lorry and driving hours are restricted

Obviously if there are enough staff to go around Anniebach.

Mind you the impression I got from the dialysis team was that there were too many nurses allocated as there were not very many patients, given that it was 2nd January (heaven knows what it would have been like on a normal Saturday?) and not enough doctors. Whether this was because of bad administration allowing extra holidays or not enough doctors on rota etc. I have no idea?

I don't think you can compare driving a lorry to being a doctor and it's silly to even try. The point I was making is that as a doctor you should expect to work your share of unsocial hours,nights, weekends and bank holidays and they are paid rather well to do so.

No more silly than you comparing other jobs with the stress of working as a doctor gillybob, you claimed many others work a twelve hour day, perhaps you would give an example which would equal the work of a doctor ?

Gillybob from the interview I heard you are in agreement with the doctors as they want enough doctors to cover the hours. If there are not enough doctors, whatever else is done, the problem will only get worse and probably the pace that it worsens at will increase as doctors leave to go elsewhere.

For goodness sake Anniebach if you insist on quoting me then at least get the damned quote right !!

I did not, repeat did not say that many others work a 12 hour day !!!

I said I agree that a doctor cannot be expected to work a 7 day week Anniebach but "doctors" as a whole should be expected to work 5 from 7 on a rota basis. Just like millions of other people do in hundreds of different jobs

Oh yes, I am really bad at maths, 5 to 7 is 14 hours not 12, sorry . So what are these jobs which work a 14 hour and equal the stress of a doctor in A & E ?

5 from 7 for god's sake. Anniebach It is a weekly shift pattern.

I shall spell it out for you.

There are 7 days in a week. People work any 5 from those days. I believe it is very common.

...........and I didn't even mention the stress of A & E !

Blimey