2023-08-11 15:30:00
DISPATCH — In England, with the public health service already in the throes of a crisis, thousands of hospital doctors went on strike from Friday August 11 to demand a pay rise.
Those called “junior doctors”, who have a role equivalent to that of interns in France and who represent about half of hospital doctors, have been increasing strikes for a few months. So much so that 835,000 medical appointments have had to be postponed due to the various strike movements since December 2022.
As AFP reports, their last mobilization took place in mid-July. This time around, they plan to make the strike last until Tuesday morning. Little by little, nurses, doctors and paramedics also joined the movement.
As a result, no less than 7.6 million English people are awaiting treatment. A sad record, despite government promises.
“We have seen waiting lists swell for 13 years because of this government,” laments Robert Laurenson, a doctor on strike. According to him, “to reduce its waiting lists, you need doctors, and to have doctors, you have to remunerate them competitively”.
The BMA union says these doctors have lost 26% of pay since 2008, while cuts have been forced into the health services as part of austerity policies. He is asking for a 35% wage increase, which the Conservative government opposes.
For British Health Minister Steve Barclay, the strike “only serves to harm patients” and puts “additional pressure” on non-striking staff. “It is the patients who bear the brunt of the walkouts,” he added.
At most, the government is offering “junior doctors” an increase of 6% and a bonus of 1,250 pounds.
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