Striking Leeds doctors say 'goodwill has dried up' as critics say they are holding government 'to ransom'
Leeds doctors said that “all goodwill has dried up” and that they are being “victimised on wards” as they gathered to take part in the first day of nationwide strike action.
Resident doctors - previously known as junior doctors - have begun the first of five consecutive days of strike action today (Friday) over an ongoing dispute about pay and the difficulty surrounding employment.
The government has said that the action will pile further strain on the NHS and that it could lead to further cuts of frontline staff.
Members of the British Medical Association had gathered outside of the Jubilee Wing of Leeds General Infirmary to show their solidarity in spite of the “abysmal weather”.
Dr Francesco Palazzo, a resident doctor working in A&E at LGI, said: “The first thing to say is that we don’t want to be here. I would much rather be inside at work with my patients - as would my colleagues - but we’ve been pushed into this position by the government who have refused to discuss with us so many of the issues that resident doctors face today.”
Dr Palazzo said that pay for resident doctors had been “eroded” over the last 10 or 15 years and that “goodwill has dried up” for those working in Leeds. He said that the NHS treats them “very badly” and that the working conditions see them being “victimised on wards” and not being provided suitable equipment.
He said: “People are sitting on clinical waste bins waiting in queues for computers. Meanwhile patients are waiting for hours to be seen because doctors are unable to see them because they’re too busy in a queue for a computer.
“There’s no future in health care in the United Kingdom without a strong medical workforce and unfortunately doctors are leaving to go and work elsewhere where they are valued appropriately or are leaving medicine altogether because they’ve realised it’s a career where you’re not respected.”
Dr Callum Parr, Deputy Chair of the BMA Resident Doctors’ Committee, said that the struggle for junior doctors to find employment is “farcical”, adding: “We have unemployed doctors on Job Seekers because in applications like we’ve just had there are 30,000 fully qualified doctors fighting for just 10,000 training places.
“We are asking the government to address that to recruit enough doctors for our health service but also retain them by valuing them fairly.”
Asked what his response was to those who have been critical of the doctors’ decision to take strike action, Dr Parr said: “I’m really sorry to any patient who experiences disruption as part of the strikes. We have senior colleagues and specialist doctors who have stepped down to cover so urgent and emergency care is always covered if patients need it.
“But essentially what we’re doing is raising the alarm to say that we can’t carry on like this where you have people waiting weeks for a GP appointment and at the same time you have thousands of doctors being turned away from trainee places.
“Something needs to change and we’re trying to do that for the long term. We want to work with the government to come to a deal that we can put together so we don’t have to go on strike anymore.”
In a statement, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said that it would be “under a huge amount of pressure” during the strike.
Dr James Thomas, Medical Director for the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, said: “The safety and care of people who use our services is our highest priority, and it is important that people continue to use our services when they need them.
“NHS teams across West Yorkshire will be working throughout the strike period to keep people safe and well, but services will be affected. Our region’s hospitals and mental health trusts will be significantly impacted, as will some GP practices, and this will have a knock on effect on other parts of the healthcare system.
“That’s why we’re asking everyone to work with us to ensure they’re prepared for their medical needs during the strike action.
“Some hospital appointments and planned treatment may need to be rearranged but please attend any booked appointments unless you hear otherwise. Healthcare teams will contact people as soon as possible if your appointment needs to be changed.
“If you take regular medication, check you have enough, and if you need more, please order and collect it before the planned strikes. Having a well-stocked medicine cabinet can also help with minor injuries or ailments.
“If you or someone close to you needs medical help, please get advice about the most appropriate treatment option by using 111 online (111.nhs.uk) or calling 111 if you don’t have access to the internet. Remember 999 and A&E departments are for the most serious or life-threatening injuries or illnesses.”
The Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, said that doctors are “inflicting pain and misery on patients” and holding them to ransom by going on strike, adding that it would “set us back”.