Junior doctors strike: Medics feel 'undervalued' and 'underpaid'

Doctors in Hereford said they felt "undervalued" and "underpaid" as they joined thousands of others across England starting a three-day strike in a dispute over pay.

Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) are asking for a 35% pay rise.

They claim inflation means roles have effectively seen cuts of 26% since 2008.

The government has described their demands as "completely unaffordable".

An NHS spokesperson said patients should not be put off from seeking emergency care during strikes.

Patients have also been told to continue to attend appointments unless advised otherwise, amid concerns of severe disruption.

Paul Brennan, chief operating officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said it had worked hard to keep patients safe and deliver the best care possible.

The 72-hour strike by junior doctors, who represent 40% of the medical workforce, will see them walk out of both routine and emergency care.

But by law they they can only withdraw from life-and-limb emergency care if the NHS has found other staff to cover for them.

More than 40 junior doctors from the Wye Valley Trust were on picket lines outside Hereford County Hospital, with others outside the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

"We want full pay restoration from the last 15 years, where our pay has been degraded year-on-year, despite the rising cost of living and the enormous increase in our workload," Dr Lucy Jackson.

Speaking outside the County Hospital, she said many doctors felt "undervalued" and "underpaid" and said the dispute over pay had driven others to leave the medical profession.

"We've got patients for operations who are in corridors in the wards and it's not safe," she said.

"It's the junior doctors who are expected to keep them safe on these wards - it's not fair."

Dr Jackson added she was "confident" that other staff would be able to cover roles in their absence.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he valued the hard work of junior doctors and that he wanted unions to "come to the negotiating table" to enter formal talks.

Some doctors on the picket line in Hereford said they were struggling in the current cost of living crisis.

"With the cost of living crisis we are struggling, including the likes of myself, I still live at home with my parents, its difficult to live out," Dr Alex Pavlimbey, 27, said.

"With the responsibility that this job carries, we think we should be paid a little bit more."

The term junior doctor covers a huge variety of roles, from those just graduating from university, to others with years of front-line experience.

The BMA's campaign focuses on the £14 per hour starting salary, although that quickly rises for anyone entering the profession.

There are five core pay points in the junior doctor contract. By the end of training they will be earning around £28 an hour in basic salary - although this can take 10 years to get to.

Junior doctors, including those fresh out of university, also receive an additional 30% more in extra payments, on average, for things like working unsociable hours.

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