It's looking increasingly likely that it might all actually KICK OFF.

For anyone who doesn't know, the BMA withdrew from negotiations over new contracts for junior doctors a few weeks ago. The Department of Health subsequently announced that they would be imposing new contracts from next August.

The major issues being highlighted with the new contracts are:

  • Big pay cuts (figures around 20-45%, depending on the particular training post, are being put forward)
  • Changes to what constitutes 'sociable' working hours to include everything between 7am and 10pm Monday to Saturday
  • Removal of penalties for Hospitals who routinely work doctors beyond agreed limits
  • Other changed which will make having kids or doing other study (research etc) more punishing to progression


At the same time as all this is going on, a new position of "Physicians Assistant" has been created. They undergo less training, have less responsibility and yet are to be paid significantly more - there are posts being advertised at £50,000 a year - than junior doctors. There is of course not the same scope for progression, but it will be a good few years after qualifying before a doctor earns a similar amount under the (apparent) proposed changes.

Having said all that, the DoH are denying some of the claims but haven't given any further explanation as far as I've seen.

Needless to say, it's all getting MENTAL on my facebook feed. There's a petition for the BMA to support strike action which currently has nearly 60,000 signatures. People are applying for Certificates of Good Standing (required to work abroad) in unprecedented numbers - to show they are willing to take their skills elsewhere - as a form of protest. There's of course plenty of just general raging as well.

From a personal point of view, if everything I've read about the contracts is true and they go through, I'll seriously consider either leaving the country or pursuing a career outside of medicine when I qualify. As much as I want to be a doctor (in the NHS), I'm not prepared to have no quality of life in order to do it.