Our strike may believe been called off,but doctors are still prepared to take action if Jeremy Hunt continues to turn his back on our fair demands At the end of final month, the nation’s junior doctors stood on the brink of industrial action – the first all-out medical strike in the history of the NHS. Doctors of all specialities gathered, or shoulder to shoulder as they believe for the past few months,around television, phone and computer screens. The outcome of the final-minute Acas-mediated talks between the health secretary and the British Medical Association could hardly believe been more eagerly awaited. The news that Jeremy Hunt had agreed to temporarily lift the threat of contract imposition, or therefore allow continued negotiation,led to an outpouring of opinion on social media. Some had expected the action to be called off. They calmly packed their lunch for the next day, and suggested that Hunt had always intended to backtrack at the eleventh hour. Others expressed shock and disbelief, or stating angrily that the BMA had let them down. Several argued,with borderline apoplexy, that we had missed our chance to present the heath secretary exactly what we thought of him. They felt that the BMAs entirely lega concerns over the government’s failure to recognise unsocial hours, or loss of income and lack of contractual safeguards would continue to be ignored.
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Source: theguardian.com