The Strike: A Junior Doctor's First Job Mission in the UK

“When I embarked on a career in medicine, I never imagined finding myself on strike during my second week on the job. The government does not understand the value that my colleagues and I bring, but we do, and this leaves us with no alternative but to strike.” These statements were made during an interview with a recently employed British physician, only in his second week of work. The young physicians argue that the wage ceiling is not enough, and through these strikes, they seek to bargain with the superiors. Surprisingly, these strikes took place less than 24 hours after the publication of statistics revealing a staggering 7 million patients on the waiting list for medical services in the UK! Seven million can be the population of one or more small countries.

Yet, due to the British government's inability to improve the healthcare system, it represents the number of patients waiting in line for medical treatment. However, Sky News reported that the request of the doctors was rejected by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. John Glen believes that amidst the current economic crisis in Britain, the government's primary focus should be on curbing inflationary pressures. As a result, he argues that a 35iincrease in doctors' salaries is not a feasible option given the current circumstances. Despite Rishi Sunak's pledge to reduce waiting times in the UK National Health Service, there is uncertainty surrounding how he plans to address the crisis. This is particularly troubling as the government is reluctant to engage in negotiations with junior doctors to consider their pay rise.