Junior doctors in Bolton have joined tens of thousands across England in a strike about pay and conditions.

Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) gathered close to the Royal Bolton Hospital this morning, Monday, as they stood with signs that read “pay restoration for doctors”.

Accident and emergency doctor Joe Williams and BMA representative for junior doctors in Bolton, says that the decision hasn’t been made lightly, and that they would much rather be looking after patients.

However, he said that following a 26 per cent pay cut over the past 15 years they were left with no choice but to take industrial action.

He said: “We have reached the point where junior doctors are struggling financially on £14 an hour.

“With that huge pay cut, we are losing people to medicine in better paid countries.

The Bolton News:

“It’s leaving poorly staffed rotas and stressful working environments.

“We are hoping that the government will recognise the continual work that junior doctors do.”

The BMA is demanding a substantial pay rise for doctors, with its latest campaign saying junior medics could earn more per hour if they worked in Pret A Manger.

Junior doctors make up around 45 per cent of the NHS’s medical workforce and consultants and other medics have been drafted in to provide strike cover in areas such as A&E.

He added: “I am hoping that through the strength of our strike that someone will recognise this and come to serious negotiations.

“Every increase has been slowly building for years and the cost-of-living crisis has pushed people over the edge.”

The Bolton News:

Joe also said that consultants are looking after patients and that the hospital is still running so people should come as they normally would.

He said that their issue is not with the hospital, but it is with the government and the Department of Health and Social Care.

He added: “We don’t want to be out here.

“We want to look after patients.”

Cllr Martin McMulkin also came to show his support for junior doctors.

He said: “It’s important that we stand side by side with the junior doctors.

“These doctors don’t do this job for money; they do this as a vocation.

“The amount of money that these doctors are paid per hour is £14.         

“These people sacrificed so much during the pandemic and sacrifice so much every day of the week, looking after the most vulnerable in society.”                                             

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters on his flight to the US on Sunday it is “very disappointing that the junior doctors’ union are not engaging with the government”.

It comes as members of several trade unions will strike on Budget day on Wednesday in what will be one of the biggest single days of industrial action for years.

The strikes will also be taking place tomorrow, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

 

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