Shropshire medic hopeful of agreement on junior doctors' strike
A Shropshire medic says he is hopeful that a new round of negotiations will result in "a fair and safe contract" for junior doctors, after a planned strike for next week was cancelled.
It was announced yesterday that a 48-hour strike by junior doctors, beginning on January 26, has been suspended as talks continue today with the Government over a new contract. But the British Medical Association (BMA) said "significant progress" still needed to be made to avoid another strike planned for February 10.
Telford-based Dr Faraaz Bhatti, a registrar in emergency medicine, said: "Industrial action is always a last resort and I think that junior doctors and our representative body have proven over and over that we want a secure resolution to this crisis.
"The government thus far has failed to understand why doctors are so passionate on this issue. We want a prosperous future for the NHS where patients are not put at risk by the very people that are there to protect them. We 'fight' – for want of a better word – for fairness and safety.
"Hopefully this new round of negotiations will result in a fair and safe contract for junior doctors – something the government so far has not supported.
"We continue to hope we finally see some compromise from Jeremy Hunt."
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) had to axe four planned inpatient procedures, along with about 100 outpatient appointments due to the 24-hour strike held on January 12.
But the trust said almost 96 per cent of appointments at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford's Princess Royal Hospital went ahead as planned.
The BMA's junior doctor committee chairman Dr Johann Malawana said the strike held on January 12 had sent a "clear message" to the Government.
He said: "The BMA's aim has always been to deliver a safe, fair junior doctor contract through negotiated agreement."
