LONDON: Junior doctors in England will begin a six-day walkout on Wednesday, the longest strike in the state-run National Health Service's (NHS) 75-year history which is set to hit patient care during its seasonal winter peak in demand.
Like in other key sectors over the past year, junior doctors represented by the British Medical Association (BMA) have staged a series of walkouts in demand of better pay in the face of soaring inflation.
Cumulatively, the NHS, which has provided healthcare free at the point of use since it was founded in 1948, cancelled 1.2 million appointments in 2023 due to strikes.
The BMA abandoned talks with the government after being offered a pay rise of 8-10%, and held strikes on Dec. 20-23. The union is seeking a 35% improvement which it says is needed to cover the impact of inflation over several years.
The government, which has agreed new pay deals with other healthcare workers, including nurses and senior doctors in recent months, has resisted hikes it says would worsen inflation.
The strikes threaten to increase the pressure on the health service where over 7.7 million patients are on waiting lists for procedures and appointments.
"This January could be one of the most difficult starts to the year the NHS has ever faced," NHS National Medical Director Stephen Powis said in a statement.
"The action will not only have an enormous impact on planned care, but comes on top of a host of seasonal pressures such as covid, flu, and staff absences due to sickness."
Junior doctors are qualified physicians, often with several years of experience, who work under the guidance of senior doctors and represent a large part of the country's medical community.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said deals with other healthcare workers' unions showed that the striking junior doctors were "outliers".
"We have sought to come to a fair resolution - fair for the taxpayer, fair for hardworking doctors and health workers. We have achieved that in the majority of cases ... we are willing to have further discussions. But obviously the first thing to do is to stop striking," he told reporters.
The BMA said a record waiting list and underinvestment over the past decade had undermined the NHS.
"As a profession we are exhausted, disenchanted, and questioning whether we want to stay in the health service at all. Add to this years of pay erosion, and it’s no wonder that morale on the frontline has never been lower," the union said.
Reuters
Wed Jan 03 2024
Cumulatively, the NHS, which has provided healthcare free at the point of use since it was founded in 1948, cancelled 1.2 million appointments in 2023 due to strikes. - REUTERS
Ajaran The Ahmadi cuba disebarkan semula
Ajaran The Ahmadi cuba disebarkan semula walaupun telah lama difatwakan sesat oleh pihak berkuasa agama Islam di peringkat Persekutuan dan negeri-negeri.
Pertemuan Anwar, Sheikh Mohammed medan terbaik Malaysia faham situasi terkini di Gaza
Malaysia melihat peranan Qatar sangat signifikan memandangkan negara itu merupakan orang penting dalam rundingan antara Palestin dan Israel.
Penunjuk perasaan pro-Palestin dan polis Florida bertempur
Penunjuk perasaan pro-Palestin bertempur dengan polis di Orlando, Florida, pada Sabtu.
Menurut penunjuk perasaan yang menggesa gencatan senjata di Gaza, polis menyembur semburan lada dan gas pemedih mata ke atas kebanyakan wanita dan kanak-kanak yang berdemonstrasi secara aman di sebuah taman.
Menurut penunjuk perasaan yang menggesa gencatan senjata di Gaza, polis menyembur semburan lada dan gas pemedih mata ke atas kebanyakan wanita dan kanak-kanak yang berdemonstrasi secara aman di sebuah taman.
Letupan dahsyat, asap hitam penuhi utara Gaza
Tentera Israel menyeru penduduk Palestin yang berlindung di kawasan Jabalia di utara Gaza untuk mengosongkan kawasan berkenaan selepas mendapat maklumat kononnya Hamas cuba memulihkan semula kawalannya di kawasan itu.
Nasihat Wan Rosdy kepada ahli UMNO: “Ikhlas sertai parti, buang sikap pentingkan diri”
Sikap pentingkan diri menjadi masalah dalaman parti dan andai dibiarkan boleh merosakkan keutuhan UMNO.
Tentera Israel arah penduduk Palestin berpindah dari Rafah
Arahan berpindah itu dikeluarkan menerusi risalah yang digugurkan dari udara.
Bas terbalik di lebuh raya PLUS, 41 penumpang terselamat
Seramai 41 penumpang termasuk pemandu terselamat setelah bas persiaran yang dinaiki mereka terbabas lalu terbalik di kilometer 264.5 lebuhraya utara selatan (PLUS), arah selatan hari ini.
Wartawan baharu perlu aktif turun padang, elak ‘cerita’ disampaikan hambar
Pengamal media perlu aktif turun lapangan bagi mencari bahan berita lebih tulen tanpa perlu bergantung sepenuhnya kepada maklumat diperoleh atau dikongsikan melalui media sosial.
AWANI Ringkas: Dijangka catat dagangan dalam julat kecil
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Laporan Amerika dedahkan Israel salah guna bantuan senjata
Pentadbiran Joe Biden mendapati Israel menggunakan bantuan senjata dari AS tanpa mengikut lunas undang-undang antarabangsa.
Euro 2024: England hilang khidmat Harry Maguire, Kyle Walker
Pada Sabtu, anak buah Gareth Southgate itu mengalami kekalahan pertama mereka dalam tempoh 15 bulan.
Euro 2024: Southgate positif di sebalik England tersungkur kepada Brazil
Gareth Southgate gembira dengan mutu persembahan England meskipun tewas kepada Brazil dalam perlawanan persahabatan.
Euro 2024: Gareth Southgate elak dikaitkan ke Manchester United, fokus kempen England
Ketua jurulatih England, Gareth Southgate, tidak akan bercakap dengan mana-mana pihak yang berminat dengan khidmatnya hingga selepas Euro 2024 berakhir.
Sivasangari mara ke separuh akhir di Cleveland
Pemain wanita tunggal kedudukan ke-16 dunia itu menumpaskan Alicia Mead dari England 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 dalam masa 23 minit.
Southgate kecewa aksi England
England telah layak ke Euro dengan baki dua perlawanan, tetapi mereka mahu jadi pasukan pilihan utama di Jerman dengan memenangi Kumpulan C.
Dua kanak-kanak 12 tahun didakwa bunuh remaja 19 tahun di England
Menurut Polis Britain, kedua kanak-kanak itu juga telah didakwa kerana memiliki senjata pisau dan direman dalam tahanan.
England ketiga terbaik ragbi Piala Dunia Perancis 2023
England mempamerkan aksi membanggakan mengekang kebangkitan Argentina untuk merangkul pingat gangsa Piala Dunia Ragbi 2023.
Piala Dunia Ragbi: Afrika Selatan jumpa New Zealand di final
KAPTEN Afrika Selatan, Siya Kolisi memuji semangat pasukannya selepas bangkit dari ketinggalan untuk menewaskan England, 16-15 dalam aksi separuh akhir Piala Dunia Ragbi di Stade de France.
Piala Dunia Ragbi: Maro Itoje yakin England mampu atasi Afrika Selatan untuk ke final
Dua pasukan seteru itu akan bertembung di Stade de France hujung minggu ini.
Kelayakan Euro 2024: Southgate yakin England boleh jadi juara Eropah selepas tewaskan Itali
Gareth Southgate berkata England sudah bersedia untuk mencabar Kejohanan Eropah selepas melayakkan diri ke Euro 2024