Junior doctors in England have launched their longest-ever period of industrial action, forming picket lines outside hospitals across the country in protest of a 26% real-terms cut to their pay over the last 15 years. Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) have voted overwhelmingly to strike, with the union claiming that junior doctors’ take-home pay has been cut more than a quarter based on the Retail Price Index gauge of inflation. The BMA, which represents doctors and medical students, claims that there is widespread discontent among medics, stating that the workforce could earn more “serving coffee than saving patients.”
In response to the strike, Junior doctors across Sussex have put picket lines in place, including Eastbourne DGH, where photos of the picket line have been shared.
The BMA argues that newly qualified medics earn £14.09 an hour, less than a barista in a coffee shop. The union has launched an advertising campaign claiming that “Thanks to this Government you can make more serving coffee than saving patients. This week junior doctors will take strike action so they are paid what they are worth.” However, the comparison has been disputed by officials, with data from Pret a Manger revealing that only staff at the top end of the pay bracket earn £14.10 per hour, and that junior doctors take home more than baristas due to their longer hours, 37% increase in hourly pay for nights, and extra cash for overtime and weekend work.
The strike has caused widespread concern, with fears that it will cause significant disruption to NHS services, particularly cancer care. The BMA, however, maintains that the action is necessary to address the significant pay cuts suffered by junior doctors over the last decade and a half.
