2024-01-03 19:37:58
Time.news – I hospital doctors in England Today they begin their longest strike in the seventy-year history of National Health Service (Nhs) British. Junior doctors – those below consultant level – will fold their arms for six days (until January 9) in a serious escalation of their long-running pay dispute with the UK government.
The industrial action comes at one of the busiest times of the year for the NHS, when it faces growing pressure from winter respiratory illnesses. This also follows the three-day strike called by doctors just before Christmas.
The NHS said the latest strike, which could affect up to half of medical staff, will have a “significant impact on almost all routine care”.
“This January could be one of the most challenging starts to the year the NHS has ever faced,” said national medical director Stephen Powis. The strike starts at 7 (8 in Italy) and should end at the same time on Tuesday 9 January. There British Medical Association announced the strike in December after talks with the government broke down.
The union said trainee doctors were offered a 3.0% increase on top of the 8.8% average increase granted earlier this year. He rejected the offer because the money would be split unevenly among different doctor grades and “would still equate to pay cuts for many doctors.”
The prime minister Rishi Sunak and hospital leaders criticized the action. Health policy is a matter devolved to the administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the UK government overseeing England. Junior doctors in Wales are expected to strike for 72 hours from January 15. Those in Northern Ireland voted for a potential strike. Their Scottish counterparts have made an agreement with the government in Edinburgh.
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