We were at The GOAT having lunch yesterday when we saw a parade of demonstrators walking past. “What are they doing, Mummy?” I asked.
Mummy tried to explain. It’s complicated.
It sounded like this – each side of the two parties want the NHS to work properly but they have perspectives on how to make it work.
One thing for sure, the term “Junior Doctors” is misleading. They can be medics who have just graduated from medical school but the term also includes those who have more than a decade of experience. They are really only behind consultants in seniority.
It seems like the higher death rates of patients admitted on Saturdays and Sundays have propelled the health secretary to staff up over the weekends. He wants more medics working more weekends to make the NHS provide consistent care seven days a week.
The problem is the Junior Doctors are already working weekends but not as many senior doctors, called the consultants – who might help with reducing the death rates. The Junior Doctors also argue that higher numbers of deaths in hospital on weekends cannot be entirely contributed to the staffing of Junior Doctors. There are other contributing factors not factored into the argument.
The new contract suggests that the majority of overall basic pay will increase – but the medics are likely to find they will be working more weekends, which, under the existing contract, would have led to extra pay but not in the new contracts.
So you see, the dispute is quite complicated but money aside, it sounds like they are moving to a scenario of over-burdened junior doctors in danger of giving sub-standard care. It’s important to remember these “junior doctors” are making life-and-death decisions.
We are thankful to them for taking care of Mummy when she was ill last year. She’s doing really well – maybe because she was not admitted over a weekend – but she was there for a long time and she told us she wondered what sort of lives do the doctors lead. How can they have a family?
May’s comment: The dispute is complicated. It may sound like the Junior Doctors are dissatisfied with a pay rise and seem unwilling to work to improve matters.
I have personally seen how hard they work every day of the week at all hours of the day and night when I was hospitalised for several weeks last year. I cannot imagine how much more they need to give of themselves. I am thankful for them. 
These people work to save lives. And we’re playing with their lives.
How can you help? Write your MPs and tell them what you think. The government needs to find a better solution.
