Star date: 12th January 2016

SALFORD BACKS JUNIOR DOCTORS

Cars beeped their horns and the public waved in support of junior doctors who manned picket lines outside Salford Royal Hospital today as part of their 24 hour strike against the Tory Government.

Placards slated the Government and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt for `Killing the NHS' and `Lying'...

Full details here...

Salford trade unionists from Unite, UNISON, the NUJ and more joined junior doctors on the picket line outside Salford Royal Hospital today to support the fight against Tory Government intransigence over contract negotiations.

"Back in November we balloted for strike action with a 98% result in favour and we've been forced into this as our concerns have consistently not been listened to" Emma, an F2 doctor told the Salford Star "We need a contract that is safe for patients, safe for doctors and provides us with a sufficient work life balance. The current offer on the table doesn't provide that and that's the reason we've come out on the picket line today.

"We've had a very positive reaction from everyone going past in cars this morning, and the patients we've seen have been happy with our action" she added "The next step is a further 48 hour walk out in two weeks time which will leave emergency cover like today, with an escalation two weeks after that to a full walk out. I think it's been very poorly handled by the Government. We are a large group of people that just need to be listened to, and that's all we're asking for."

The Government wants to remove safety measures that stop junior doctors from working excessive hours. As one beautifully illustrated placard stated, `1)Junior doctors will be forced to work more hours with less breaks and a reduction in pay over our working lifetime (and we already work regular evenings, nights and weekends for a seven day service!)... 2)We will become exhausted and will look for jobs outside England where the work/life balance is better...NB This has already started to happen... 3) The NHS will suffer from fewer doctors who are more exhausted. Standards of care will drop, leaving the door open for... 4) private companies to win NHS contracts, meaning you might only get the care you need if someone stand to profit from it...'

It was a message that went down well with Salford resident Maria Brabiner who joined Councillor Peter Wheeler, members of the Youth Parliament and others on the picket line this morning...

"I was born in this hospital fifty years ago and doctors are irreplaceable and up there with the best of them" she said "We cannot do without doctors, so you don't mess with junior doctors. The people of Salford should come down and support them!"

*Junior doctors will speaking at an NHS anti-cuts campaigns conference, in Manchester this weekend organised by Keep Our NHS Public. Titled Getting Together Again Against Healthier Together, the doctors will be joined by campaigners from Wythenshawe, Tameside and elsewhere fighting cuts and ward closures. The Conference is on Saturday 16 January 10.30am-1.30pm, Manchester Central Methodist Hall, 1 Central Buildings, Oldham St., M1 1JQ (just off Piccadilly Gardens).