"I'm no political revolutionary, I'm a junior doctor. I look after sick people..."
Anyone still doubting the rights and wrongs of the current stepped-up industrial action by junior doctors needs to listen to the articulate doctors themselves. The medics began two days of all out strikes this morning, which run from 8am to 5pm. The Tory Government is trying to imply that the strike is about Saturday working. But it's much more than that...
"I'm on strike today because we've been backed into a corner by Jeremy Hunt's refusal to come back to the table and re-negotiate the contract, without forcing it on people in August" explained Sukey Elsesser "...I'm on strike because of gender inequalities, which they've admitted to, in the introduction of new contracts; it's going to discriminate against part time workers, the majority of whom are female...
"...I'm on strike because of the lack of safeguards in place which will result in unsafe work, to the detriment of patients as a whole" she added "...And I'm on strike because I believe that all of the Government's actions so far are the slippery slope that will lead to the privatisation of the NHS. I think that Britain is great because of its NHS and I want to try and protect that. We apologise to everyone who has had operations or appointments cancelled today but I believe the public is supporting us."
Indeed, patients who had been treated at the hospital this morning actually applauded those standing on the picket lines on their way home. They included Eileen Wade and her friend who been for an appointment.
"I think they deserve everything they get, they do a wonderful job" said Eileen "The Government should get back around the table. The doctors have definitely got our support."
Indeed, the strike is just as much about patients as doctors, with what Dr Mark McInerney called the "unfair and unsafe contracts" at the centre...
"I believe that the NHS, for which I am an ambassador and I care dearly, is in absolute crisis right now" he explained "We know that there are about 6,000 doctors in the UK too few, and around 21,000 nurses too short ,and I don't know how the Government can promise people a seven day NHS that can be delivered in a safe manner without incurring a staffing crisis. I'm not prepared to put myself on the front line delivering dangerous care in some situations. I'm here to oppose that."
And, for caring about the NHS, the junior doctors are being told that they are somehow `trying to bring down the Government', according to, er, a Government source. The Salford doctors were livid about both the scare stories and the attitude of Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt...
"I do believe that he has handled this poorly, he could have been much more professional with his conduct" understated Dr McInerney "He's told lies in many of his public speeches in Parliament and has manipulated lots of statistics. He is keen to portray doctors as bad people in this and that's very unfortunate. We want an honest conversation about the problem and he's refusing to have it.
"Some are quoting from the Government that this is their miners' strike and that they must win, they must beat the doctors" he added "But I want to work in a country where people work with doctors and don't have that kind of stubbornness. I'm no political revolutionary, I'm a junior doctor. I look after sick people. They need to realise that. I'm appalled at their suggestion that we're trying to overthrow the government..."
The junior doctors strike continues tomorrow 8am-5pm, with a picket line outside Salford Royal Hospital.
• See also previous Salford Star article – As junior doctors strike massive profits being made from Salford Royal Hospital - click here
Photos by Steven Speed
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