Doctors' strikes: Junior medics caught boasting of how strikes give them 10 days' holiday - as staggering true cost of walkouts is revealed
Junior doctors have been caught boasting about how their strikes are giving them extra holiday time.The strikes, which began this morning at 7am, saw British Medical Association members walk out in the union's 15th round of industrial action since 2023.But some of the stay-at-home medics have said the timing will help with childcare - or lead to higher locum pay and cancelled elective procedures.One striking doctor said on social media: "This is 'chef's kiss' after a four-day bank holiday weekend."Another, addressing picket-line attendance, said: "I suspect the ability to have 10 days off will make turnout quite high."The current set of strikes are scheduled to last until next Monday at 7am - and have already prompted the fury of the Health Secretary.Speaking to GB News just minutes before they kicked off, Wes Streeting branded the BMA "astonishing" and accused them of hypocrisy."They're not prepared to pay their own staff more than 2.75 per cent because they say they can't afford it, but they're very happy to ask the taxpayer to cough up even more - whether the taxpayer can afford it or not," he said.Striking BMA junior doctors, who will continue to strike until next Monday at 7am | GETTYThe last few years of walkouts have cost the NHS a staggering £3billion.Hospital trusts are estimated to burn through £50million a day as they are forced to pay consultants up to £313 an hour in cover pay and cancel procedures.The £3billion in walkouts could pay for 15 million outpatient appointments, 1.5 million operations, or 75,000 nurses for a year.Mr Streeting earlier accused doctors of inflicting "misery" on patients and criticised the BMA for continuing the dispute.
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Wes Streeting has accused doctors of inflicting 'misery' on patients | GETTYHe said: "For months, we have been locked in negotiations with the BMA to end the misery that strike action is inflicting on patients and other NHS staff."But they announced an unprecedented six days of strike action designed to cause maximum disruption."The resident doctors are striking for a 26 per cent pay rise, on top of the 28.9 per cent they have received over the last three years.If the BMA chose to accept a deal offered last month, it would have taken doctors' pay rise to 35 per cent - and created thousands of speciality training places.Junior doctors rejected a deal which would have pushed junior doctor's pay rise to over 35 per cent and created thousands of specialty training places | GETTYSome junior doctors would have earned more than £100,000 a year, and those out on their first year out of medical school would have started on an average of £52,000.NHS England said the walkout will be "difficult", but services remain open and patients should attend A&E and dial 999 or 111 if needed.But sources close to Sir Jim Mackey, the health service's chief executive of the organisation, have hinted the NHS is preparing to rely far less on resident doctors in the future.Mr Streeting said: "At a time when everyone's feeling the pinch, this latest round of costly industrial action is the last thing the NHS - and the country - needs."The Government is providing the NHS with record funding, but the BMA's resident doctors committee's rash action is sapping the health service of vital funds."A six-day strike is likely to cost well over £250million and so the BMA has lost their members an additional 1,000 training places, as that funding must now cover this multi-million-pound walkout."
