Can't pay NHS staff what they deserve but can find billions extra for US big pharma.
NHS wage suppression is a political choice, not an economic necessity.
@BMAResidents#FPR
NEW:
NHS will need to absorb billions of pounds from existing budgets to cover increased medicine spend
Comes as gov announces deal to end medicines stand off with Trump
https://t.co/hcAhpF4UeG
I've been a doctor since 1991. I've seen enough of my colleagues kill themselves because of the stress of this work to have zero f**ks left to give in dealing with people who abuse and malign us.
I qualified in London, worked as a medical SHO until 1995, eventually completed GP training in 1999, worked as a GP, initially locum then partner, until 2012. Then moved to Australia and became a rural generalist. I now work predominantly in the emergency, ward and HDU of a busy remote hospital, dealing with patients with the highest morbidity on the planet.
I have seen medical practice evolve. There are no 80 hour weekends for internal medicine residents anymore, but the intensity of the work has increased, the complexity has increased, the expectations have increased, the blame dumping onto juniors has increased, the general mindless bullshit has increased and the pay and conditions have got exponentially worse.
Resident doctor in a busy hospital remains one of the physically and emotionally toughest jobs in the world. People who think it's a 'job like any other job' have no f***ing idea.
Pay the residents what they are worth - which is a lot more than the BMA is asking for - and improve their conditions out of all recognition or watch them leave the profession or leave the country.
Then all you whiners will be whining your pathetic little hearts out about how there is no-one competent left to look after you. And you will deserve it.
It's your choice.
Now we know why Rishi Sunak refuses to negotiate with NHS staff.
He wants the strikes to go ahead, so he can blame doctors and nurses for his failure.
#PMQs
Wes Streeting, "I don't blame the nurses for striking, I don't blame the junior doctors for striking, I blame the stubborn intransigence of this government." #BBCQT
@thetimes Or - NHS trusts en-masse failed to plan adequately for the strikes and attempted to abuse the derrogations process rather than cancel non-emergency activity.
@MEL19001@ManetasNikolaos@TheBMA Amen. Lots of lecturing by govt and media about importance of living within our means. But when it comes to healthcare, they expect gold standard levels of care and feel entitled to pay a pittance for it
@csljohnkirby@ExplosiveEnema2 There were 55 million more GP appointments in 2024 than 2019, up 18%. But don't let facts get in the way of your opinions.
https://t.co/1HdCpNKzwF
@StevenJonMiller@LBC@NickFerrariLBC 53 of my colleagues died working during the pandemic, while the rest of the population stayed safely at home. Insinuating the profession puts themselves before their patients is just offensive.
It takes 20 years for a London dr to earn more than a London PA 🤯
I asked O3-Pro to analyse cumulative earnings from the start of their courses onwards, accounting for the London weighting.
Docs cumulatively out-earn PAs 21 yrs after starting med school, 6 yrs into consultancy
Resident Drs
4d strike previously affected 200,000 appts
Hospitals cancel 250,000 in the ave week
Patients fail to attend 150,000
Doctors aren’t the problem but by standing up for fairness they are being scapegoated & the population gaslighted
Let’s not let facts in the way
Let’s compare…
Wes:
I can offer
🔹More hours
🔹Less than half the pay
🔹An NHS meal deal
🔹Being treated like shit
🔹Your assistants paid c30% more
All whilst I vilify you in the media.
NZ:
We can offer
🔸Reasonable hours
🔸More than double the pay
🔸Well staffed rotas
🤔
@cochranereturns@trentconsultant@ClinOncDoc It absolutely was applied. Average annual budget increases went from 6% from 1997 to 2009, cut to avg 1.4% '09-' 19, so a cut against inflation. 2 year pay freeze 2011-13 and a 1% cap for years after. All on top capital budget raids and reduced social care spending.
Addressing working conditions and ensuring there are enough training posts to produce the consultants of the future are basic responsibilities of the Secretary of State, not bargaining chips to weild when it's politically convenient.