Hospitals in Wales face disruption as junior doctors begin three-day walkout this morning
Today marks a significant moment in the Welsh healthcare system as junior doctors embark on their first day of a 72-hour strike action.
The three-day walkout, from 7am today, Monday 15 January to 7am on Thursday, 18 January, could see over 3,000 doctors with up to 11 years of experience out of medical school withdraw their labour from Welsh hospitals and GP surgeries across Wales in pursuit of a fairer deal for their service.
Doctors will be present at picket lines outside all of Wales’ main hospital sites and will also take their concerns to members of the Senedd, with a planned mass demonstration outside the Welsh parliament building on Tuesday, 16th January.
The Welsh junior doctors committee decided to ballot members in August after being offered another below-inflation pay offer of 5% – the worst in the UK and lower than recommended by the DDRB (the review body for Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration).
The offer was put to the doctors just four months after the Welsh Government initially declared they would commit to the principle of pay restoration back in April 2023.
Dr Oba Babs-Osibodu and Dr Peter Fahey, co-chairs of BMA Cymru Wales’ junior doctors committee, said:
“No doctor wants to strike; we had hoped the Welsh Government had properly understood the strength of feeling amongst junior doctors in Wales. Sadly, their inaction over this matter has led us here today, demoralised, frustrated, and angry.
“After years of undervaluing our lifesaving service, we feel we’ve been left with no choice but to stand up for the profession and say enough is enough; we cannot and will not accept the unacceptable anymore.
“Our members have been forced to take this difficult decision because junior doctors in Wales have experienced a pay cut of 29.6 per cent in real terms over the last 15 years.
“A doctor starting their career in Wales will earn as little as £13.65 an hour, and for that, they could be performing lifesaving procedures and taking on huge levels of responsibility.
“We aren’t asking for a pay rise – we are asking for our pay to be restored in line with inflation back to 2008 levels, when we began to receive pay cuts in real terms. Pay needs to be fair and competitive with other healthcare systems across the world to retain and recruit doctors and NHS staff to provide much-needed care.
“On top of this, junior doctors are experiencing worsening conditions, and doctors are now looking to leave Wales to develop their careers for better pay and a better quality of life elsewhere.
“This is not a decision that has been made lightly. No doctor wants to take industrial action, but we have been given no choice. Doctors are already voting with their feet and leaving the NHS, and we are in a vicious cycle of crippling staffing shortages and worsening patient care.”
Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Health and Social Care, commented on the seriousness of the situation, criticizing the Welsh Labour Government’s response. He also pointed out the financial challenges faced by Wales, advocating for better funding to ensure fair remuneration for public sector workers.
NHS Wales, the BMA, and the Welsh Government are collaborating to ensure patient safety during the strike.
Health Minister Eluned Morgan stated that while urgent and life-threatening care would continue, the public should seek alternative healthcare services for non-urgent issues.
Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board urged patients to be aware of potential impacts on hospital services, with some appointments needing rescheduling.
The Health Board advises those needing care to first visit the NHS 111 Wales website. This guidance aims to direct patients to the most appropriate form of care during the strike period.
Health Minister Eluned Morgan expressed disappointment over the strike but acknowledged the strong sentiments among BMA members.
She highlighted the financial constraints faced by the Welsh Government, emphasising the impact of inflation on the public sector budget.
The Minister reassured the commitment to working with the BMA and NHS Employers to ensure patient safety, stating that non-emergency activities would be scaled back during the strike.
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