JUNIOR doctors across the UK are taking part in the longest-ever strike action in the history of the NHS.
The doctors, who are striking in hopes of achieving a 35 per cent pay increase, are taking part in a six-day strike from Wednesday, January 3 to Tuesday, January 9.
However, despite the industrial action, there was no picket line outside the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester.
NHS chiefs have warned that the strikes are coming at the worst possible time.
Sir Julien Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, told BBC Breakfast: “It’s going to be really tough, it’s a significant moment. It’s about the scale and the duration… So it’s the longest strike we’ve ever faced.
“I ran a trust for many years and (this week) is without doubt, the toughest week the NHS faces (each year) – immediately after the Christmas and New Year period because of the pressures the demands, and of course we’ve got flu, we’ve got Covid.
“So there’s going to be an impact on patients that will be significant – the vast majority of planned operations appointments and so on, will have to be stood down, consultants will be covering the work of junior doctors, and of course at a time when there’s a lot of Covid and flu about, that can affect staff as well as patients so the challenge of filling those rotas will be significant for a lot of organisations.”
However, Dr Robert Laurenson, the co-chair of the British Medical Association’s (BMA) junior doctors committee, argued that there is “no good time to strike”.
SEE ALSO: Critics slam junior doctors striking from today during 'peak of winter pressure'
He said: “The only reason the Government will even entertain talks with us is because we have strike action.”
Dr Laurenson added that the BMA is “happy to negotiate anytime, anywhere”.
He added: “I’m happy to negotiate right now. I’ll walk down to Westminster, I’ll sit down with (Health Secretary) Victoria Atkins if she wants to sit down with us, but she doesn’t. She’s pushed us out of the negotiation room.
“The fact of the matter is we don’t have enough doctors. So the Government’s answer to that is apparently to cut our pay, but that’s just going to drive more doctors away.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here