Junior doctors have started a four day strike over pay which is expected to have a major impact on the county's hospitals, mental health services, GP practices and other NHS services. From 7am today (Tuesday, April 11) until 7am on Saturday, April 15, doctors will be taking part in the planned industrial strike action.
Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association HCSA are taking part in the strike action, as well as some doctors who are not part of a union. Melissa Ryan, of Nottingham, is a British Medical Association picket supervisor for the strike and works as a paediatric trainee at Queen's Medical Centre.
She is one of around 30 doctors that have been showing their support for the strike outside of the hospital this morning. Melissa said: "We are basically coming out for our second strike as we haven't been able to reach an agreement of our pay with the Government.
Do you support any of the following strikes? (Nurses, teachers, ambulance staff, firefighters) Let us know
"We are in a bit of a workforce crisis, we have had a lot of our junior doctor colleagues leave for better paying jobs and we are incredibly short staffed." Melissa feels that "we need to have as many doctors in the NHS as we can" and one way to do that is to ensure better pay.
The 42 year old added: "Seven million people are on waiting lists, we do not have the staff to get through that back log, it really is a crisis point that we find ourselves in. It's appalling that we have reaching this point in the first place."
She says that better pay is needed for doctors, and that the government needs to consider "staff retention and really thinking about where we want our NHS to go in the future."
Melissa explained she is sorry to the patients being affected by the action, but that emergency services are still running and they would stop the strike if they were able to get a "reasonable offer." However, she also warned that "we could have more strike action" if the government does not improve their pay.
Foundation year one doctor, Bailey Watson, of Nottingham, plans to take part in the strike every day. The 23 year old said: "We are paid 26 percent less than we were in 2008 and my job has definitely got worse.
"Everyone feels undervalued by the pay currently and other countries pay their doctors far more on an equivalent basis and we can see that." Bailey said "It can't continue this way" and explained that the cost of living is going up and the current pay means that many doctors leaving university are looking for other options.
Regarding the strike action, Nottingham University Hospital Trust has reassured patients that help is still available. A spokesperson for the trust stated: "The British Medical Association (BMA) and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) have confirmed that their members will be taking part in Industrial Action at the Trust from 7am on Tuesday 11 April until 7am on Saturday 15 April in the form of a strike.
"Throughout any Industrial Action, patient safety remains our key focus and teams are working hard to ensure we prioritise those patients who require emergency treatment. Due to the expected reduction in staff across our hospitals, appointments will be affected."
They continued: "We will contact you if your appointment or procedure needs to be changed or rescheduled due to the strike action. If we have not contacted you, please attend as planned. Our emergency services remain open and you should continue to come forward as normal in emergency and life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.
"Where the situation is not life-threatening, alternative support will be available through NHS111 online or by calling 111. Visit the NHS UK website for more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E."
READ NEXT:
