As another stint of strike action from junior doctors began, Newcastle-based medics spoke of how they felt the Government is "kicking the can down the road".
Others warned that - after a British Medical Association poll showed 53% of junior doctors are making plans to leave the NHS or are thinking about leaving as a result of the Government’s response to industrial action, and 88% feel the NHS will be in a worse state in 18 months - they are seriously considering moving abroad for better pay for the first time.
The BMA is calling for "full pay restoration" to correct what the union's figures show is a 26% drop in real-terms wages since 2008. The Government has only offered a 5% pay increase.
Read more: Leading Newcastle doctor highlights 'lack of investment' in GPs who face 'monumental strain'
On the picket line at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, junior doctor Sam Bunn told ChronicleLive: "I feel like we're getting more support from passers-by than ever before really. From people going past there's lots of hooting and kind words. It feels like there's not much going to change, with the Government just kicking the can down the road."
Colleague Bronwyn Thompson shared similar sentiments, and welcomed support from consultants in Newcastle - who themselves are balloting over strike action. And Ozzie Bartlett added: "People seem to be really getting behind us. They know this just can't carry on as it is now."
Also picketing were psychiatric registrars John Moore and Paul Bogowicz, who are both close to becoming consultants. John said: "I had never really considered working abroad until recently. I'm about to finish my training, I'll be a consultant in a month but I'm making plans to go to Canada. The pay would be three times as much there."
He said he hoped the solidarity among trade unions would boost the cause of junior doctors - and also shared his anger at the low pay NHS colleagues in areas such as nursing receive.
And Paul said: "I qualified with over £100,000 in student. On a monthly basis I pay twice as much on student loans than on my mortgage."
Both men also questioned the Government's "cynical" claims that boosting public sector pay would cause rocketing inflation. The BMA is calling for “full restoration” of pay, which it says has seen a 26% cut. The Government has offered 5% to end the dispute.
BMA regional junior doctor rep Jack Fletcher added: "We're on strike reluctantly because we have been given a derisory 5% pay offer from the gov and they are reluctant to negotiate meaningfully. We want to get around the negotiating table and the Government to come back with a meaningful offer.
"We think 5% is way less than the 26% pay cut over the last fifteen years."
He said the offer was "frankly offensive" and continued: " As you can hear public support is very high, as most people will agree, £14 an hour is not reasonable pay for a doctor in the UK."
Dr Vivek Trivedi and Dr Robert Laurenson, co-chairmen of the BMA junior doctors committee, said in a statement: "Junior doctors are in despair at this Government’s refusal to listen.
“It should never have taken two whole rounds of strike action to even put a number on the table, and for that number to be a 5% pay offer – in a year of double-digit inflation, itself another pay cut – beggars belief.
“We have made clear that junior doctors are looking for the full restoration of our pay, which has seen a 26% cut. Junior doctors in England have seen their pay cut in real terms by more than a quarter over the last 15 years. Today they are demonstrating what that means to the survival of the NHS.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said it is “extremely disappointing” that the BMA is going ahead with further strike action. He said: “This 72-hour walkout will put patient safety and our efforts to cut waiting lists at risk.
“During recent meetings with representatives of the BMA junior doctors committee, we made a fair and reasonable opening offer and were discussing both pay and non-pay issues until they chose to end the talks by announcing new strike dates."
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