Ben lankester

Ortho surgeon - mainly knees. Yeovil Hospital and Sulis Bath. Also chief flag-raiser in Hinton St George and Ski Club GB rep

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

This 👇

[Richard Appleby @RNAppleby]

I am a NHS consultant. I am financially comfortable, in a job I love, so why am I striking tomorrow?

Answer: Because the next generation will not be able to live off what I do today. The juniors that will become these consultants know this and are leaving already.

Why? 🧵 👇

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

I am an in-patient on #International_Nursing_Day being supported by the wonderful team on 7A at Yeovil Hospital. I had a surprise diagnosis of colon cancer and had a resection on Tuesday. The ward staff are amazing - skilled, dedicated and caring. I owe them huge thanks.

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

Surgery and especially ortho are over-represented in this sorry list. We need to be better than this to our juniors.

[Rattled Doc @rahttled_doc]

Hey @NHSEngland, @NHSScotland, and UK #Medtwitter

Those UK doctors who moved to my Aussie ED realised we never had an Exit Interview. We never got to share some of the examples of NHS culture that drove us away. Perhaps we can inform you a little with some anecdotes? 🧵

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@Midgemorrigan This isn’t about me. I’m a consultant doing shifts to backfill striking juniors, but I support their cause. I’m not suggesting a barista should be paid less than that, but that a junior doctor with 5+ yrs training and £100k debt should be paid more.

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

I’ve just completed a 12 hour shift covering orthopaedic FY2 on call. Juggling jobs, making complex decisions, difficult discussions with patients and relatives. This is not a job that should have pay parity with someone making coffee. #PayRestoration for junior doctors.

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@TM41A Surely anyone in a job deserves to get paid for what they do now, and for the qualifications and expertise they have worked 5+ years to gain, not a reduced wage because of what they might earn in the future?

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@AliJaneMoore But you’re right - training could be delivered in a 40 hour week if it was done properly. 2/2

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@AliJaneMoore 48 hrs was the max that any employer could require you to work acc to European working time directive - same applied to lorry drivers etc. Simap ruling ensured all on call hours counted, and this was a big win for juniors in early 2000s compared to the previous contracts. 1/2

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

Please read this @MarcusFysh - it explains everything about how and why the NHS is on currently its knees. If you can’t sort out social care and improve the working environment for healthcare workers fast it could be terminal.

[Peter Neville @peteneville65]

For those who don't fully understand what is up with the NHS, here is a thread for you that might help.

I'm a consultant physician working as a doctor in the NHS in Yorkshire and Wales for 32 years now. I have experienced the NHS at its best (2008) and its worst (2022).

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

Especially if it wasn’t your put-in. How can you deserve a penalty if your team caused the scrum in the first place??

[Dei @IDeiniol]

@andNickMullins I'm still crusading for a change in the laws: no penalties can be won from the scrum; only free kicks.

Makes the a scrum a genuine restart of the game and not defining moments of opportunity to win games.

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@rbarbosa91 Very useful for pulling hamstring tendons into view prior to harvest for knee ligament reconstruction. I call it a Lahey but have also heard “go-rounder” used.

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@BBCHughPym This is probably a 48 hour weekend shift. Once the agency fee is taken out, this is not an unreasonable hourly rate for a senior professional having to cover an extra shift at short notice.

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@mattbanahan1 @BathRugby Very sad news. A great bloke and a highly-respected colleague. Thinking of those close to him.

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@EdinburghKnee Is this because our response to Covid was different, or because most European countries have separate hospitals for elective orthopaedics that were able to continue working?

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@watsoncomedian Come back to Yeovil

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@NickyAACampbell

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

Wow. Just got my watch strap repaired at Timpson Yeovil for free! That’s quite a service - thanks @JamesTCobbler

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@JeremyClarkson Fitting words, but remember how he lied to her for personal and political gain, and how his team partied as she sat alone mourning her husband?

[Ben lankester @Benlank]

@AllieRenison Rotator cuff tear not v likely and not usually so painful at rest. Acute calcific tendinitis more likely and post viral myositis another possibility. Anti-inflammatories and rest and seek out a good physio if not settling soon.