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| At the core of the junior doctors' argument has been that doctor's need to have safe schedules so that they can keep patients safe. |
The next round of strikes by the junior doctor's are imminent, set to start Tuesday morning. They will run from 8am through 5pm, rather than the 24 or 48 hours time frame of other strikes, because the strike, in an historic first for the NHS, will withdraw emergency services (Triggle, 2016).
In previous polls, the possibility of the withdrawal of emergency services reduced, substantially, the support for the striking doctors from 59% down to 45% (Broomfield, 2016). Seemingly sensing an opportunity, the government side has been laying the scare factor on thick.
Stories of the apparent dangers posed by the strike have been coming thick and fast. Hunt's spokesperson has said that the strikes are disproportionate, will be damaging and come with huge risks (BBC, 2016), while Bruce Keogh, medical director of the NHS in England, has said that withdrawing emergency services crosses a line that will damage trust (Keogh, 2016).
This was followed by the General Medical Council warning that hospitals may struggle (Triggle, 2016{2}) and junior Health Minister Ben Gummer saying that patients are being put in harms way and the government is being held hostage (BBC, 2016{2}). Analysis has suggested that there are adequate measures in place, however, to ensure no one is endangered (Triggle, 2016).
The present stand-off is a result of, consistent with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's escalatory tactics so far, and despite now admitting no such power in the face of legal action, a threat to impose contracts on junior doctors rather than honour the negotiation process (Campbell, 2016).
Thanks to these clear misjudgements on his part, support for striking junior doctors may be reinforced by the fact that it is Jeremy Hunt who is being seen as obstructive. On Sunday, he rejected a cross-party proposal to introduce his new contract first only as a limited trial, subject to independent review, to determine its affects and suitability (Campbell, 2016{2}) - which will only further antagonise the public.
Hunt is reported to have argued that "further delay just means we will take longer to eliminate the weekend effect" (BBC, 2016{3}). A frankly preposterous position considering the very basis for his 'weekend effect' argument has been demonstrated to be without basis (Cooper, 2015), that he appallingly continues to be allowed use as justification.
Whatever the faults of Jeremy Hunt and the deficiencies in his method, the latest strike will regardless test the limits of public patience. How long can public servants push strike action before public sympathy wanes? Taking with it the essential power behind any strike or protest movement - solidarity.
The NHS has proven itself to be a special case, ensuring broad public support afforded to these public servants that has been more difficult to raise in other parts of the public sector. But this latest escalation is entering new territory. Who will be most affected by the strike and resultant cancellations.
If there is anything that defines British politics it is the resilience of the status quo to anything but meagre and gradual reforms. But right now, the status quo needs to be altered to break to end a stubborn deadlock. It is to be hoped that the impending strike, or the strike itself, restores some sense to the negotiations. Yet the most likely outcome seems to be more deadlock, followed by more escalation, unless the government backs down in the only way it really can - by removing Jeremy Hunt.
References
Nick Triggle's 'Will all-out strikes really be 'Armageddon'?'; on the BBC; 15 April 2016.
Matt Broomfield's 'British public supports all-out strike by junior doctors, survey reveals: And nearly two-thirds of people support a partial strike'; in The Independent; 5 April 2016.
'All-out doctors' strike will damage trust - NHS chief'; on the BBC; 10 April 2016.
Bruce Keogh's 'Withdrawing emergency cover crosses a line – it will damage trust in doctors: Everyone has a role to play in resolving the dispute with junior doctors. We owe it to our patients'; in The Guardian; 9 April 2016.
Nick Triggle's 'Hospitals may struggle in all-out strikes, says GMC'; on the BBC; 19 April 2016{2}.
'A&E strike 'risks harming patients''; on the BBC; 24 March 2016{2}.
Denis Campbell's 'Pressure mounts on Jeremy Hunt over handling of junior doctors’ dispute: Health secretary retreats from claim he has right to impose contract – but threat may mean he has misled parliament'; in The Guardian; 17 April 2016.
Denis Campbell's 'Junior doctors’ strike set to go ahead as Hunt rejects compromise: NHS hospitals finalise plans to cope with unprecedented strikes after health secretary describes proposal by cross-party group of MPs as ‘opportunism’'; in The Guardian; 24 April 2016{2}.
'Junior doctors' strikes: Jeremy Hunt rejects plan to pilot contract'; on the BBC; 24 April 2016{3}.
Charlie Cooper's 'Jeremy Hunt criticised for 'misrepresenting' NHS weekend mortality facts: Editor of the BMJ asks Health Secretary to confirm he 'fully understands the issues involved' in pointed letter'; in The Independent; 21 October 2015.
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