Striking doctors claiming to care about patients? It's a sick joke
VUK VALCIC/SOPA IMAGES/LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY IMAGES
W hen hospital doctors strike they routinely trot out the claim that they are doing it for the patients. Their desire for generous pay awards (to add to pensions that are the envy of the private sector) is billed as almost incidental to their mission to save the National Health Service. Failure to award them a double-digit pay rise, they explain, will result in catastrophe for the health service. And why? Because, says the British Medical Association, the professional body for doctors turned militant trade union, young medics would be 'forced' to hightail it to sunny Australia to line their pockets. They wouldn't be able to help themselves.
The activists in the BMA fomenting a new and scarcely believable round of strikes, beginning on Friday with a five-day stoppage, should stop insulting the public's intelligence with this offensive cant, wipe away their crocodile tears and admit that it's all about the cash. The price: thousands of patients will end up in more pain and for longer, or die earlier, because of their grotesque selfishness. The NHS, which these wreckers always claim to revere, will be plunged into chaos again, just as it is recovering from 44 days of strikes in 2023-24.
And what is the BMA's latest pay claim? Resident doctors — hospital doctors who are not consultants, previously known as junior doctors — want 29 per cent. Yes, really. That is on top of a 22 per cent rise last year. After the Labour government's capitulation to the BMA in 2024, it is trying to return to relative normality this year with an above-inflation offer of 5.4 per cent, in line with the pay review body recommendation and the most generous offer in the public sector. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, is trying to talk sense into the strike leaders, offering the olive branch of reduced student debt. But having shown weakness once Mr Streeting finds himself in the all-too-predictable position of facing an emboldened opponent confident in its power.
The good news is that Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, has refused to play the BMA's game and is insisting that routine operations carry on. Tom Dolphin, chair of the BMA council, and Emma Runswick, his deputy, have called for all non-urgent procedures to be cancelled, claiming that doing otherwise would 'put patients at risk'. Their hypocrisy is nauseating: it is the BMA that is placing patients in peril. The BMA's cynicism does not end there. When resident doctors strike it falls to consultants to fill the gaps. These aristocrats of the NHS, enjoying basic salaries up to £140,000, not including private work and overtime, are being advised by the union to charge £313 an hour for strike night cover. This is rampant profiteering. Only 26,800 BMA resident doctors voted to strike out of 53,800. Some 22,000 resident doctors are not in the BMA. So just a third of all resident doctors voted yes to misery. The silent majority should back the NHS.
Medical graduates start their professional training on £36,000; by their early thirties they are earning £70,000. From then on it is a staircase to comfort. NHS doctors enjoy a super-perk they prefer not to highlight: generous, index-linked defined benefit pensions resulting in retirement incomes greater than most salaries. The public needs to understand how much it is paying for the retirements of these arrogant, entitled, callous strikers.
The BMA is now in danger of overreaching itself, of forfeiting public respect. A 29 per cent pay claim, following a 22 per cent one, is a sick joke.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
10 minutes ago
- BBC News
Jersey minister calls for health budget to be increased
Jersey's health minister has called for an increase to the island's health funding, after a forecast predicted the department would be £18m over budget for auditor general, Lynn Pamment, said the rapid rise in spending was a cause for concern and said previous money-saving recommendations had yet to be brought Tom Binet, the health minister, wants a 5%-above-inflation budget increase for several years, to keep up with the costs of new treatments and people living said calling the situation an overspend had damaged staff morale and was "very negative", as health had not received enough budget in the past. "It's made life very challenging for the people who are trying to turn around the health service," he said modern science kept on introducing "better drugs [and] better treatment", which cost more said his department was expected to deliver "what it delivered the year before plus whatever else was thrown its way - all of that costs money."
Daily Mail
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
'This cream is a time machine!': Score the anti-ageing night cream that's 20 times more effective than retinol with our EXCLUSIVE discount code
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more A dermatologist-created night cream is taking the skincare community by storm with its supercharged formula that promises to smooth, hydrate and perfect the skin in as little as 12 weeks – and users say they 'wouldn't be without it'. Proven to be 20 times more effective than retinol without any of the irritation, the Skin Diary Night Repair Therapy has been designed to protect, rebuild and restore your skin's structure fast – and we've got an exclusive discount code. The Skin Diary Night Repair Therapy Powered by research conducted in skin biology and regenerative medicine, this powerful formulation is clinically proven to increase collagen and elastin production, resulting in youthful-looking, healthier skin without any irritation - even on sensitive skin. The best bit? You can score a whopping 10 per cent off when you use the code DAILY_MAIL_JULY25 at checkout – but you'll have to be quick, as this offer expires in two weeks. £121.50 (save £13.50) Shop That's right, as of today, you can score a whopping 10 per cent off when you use the code DAILY_MAIL_JULY25 at checkout – but you'll have to be quick, as this offer expires in two weeks. Born from decades of pioneering research by Professor Chris Griffiths OBE and Dr. Tamara Griffiths, the Skin Diary Night Repair Therapy is a supercharged, research-backed cream that's proven to reverse skin ageing – and users say the results are 'remarkable'. 'After using Skin Diary Night Repair Cream, I've noticed a remarkable transformation in my complexion,' raved one impressed reviewer. 'Non greasy, lightweight leaves my skin feeling refreshed. Exceeded my expectations. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking to enhance their skincare!' Powered by research conducted in skin biology and regenerative medicine, this powerful formulation is clinically proven to increase collagen and elastin production, resulting in youthful-looking, healthier skin without any irritation - even on sensitive skin. The cream transforms your skin's structure in three ways - by protecting your skin's healthy cells, renewing through collagen and elastin repair, and restoring skin moisture levels Night Repair Therapy works to transform your skin's structure in three ways - firstly, through protecting your skin's healthy cells, secondly, by renewing through collagen and elastin repair, and thirdly, through restoring skin moisture levels and skin barrier function. This is all thanks to the cocktail of synergistic active ingredients, including peptides, retinyl ester and hyaluronic acid, that work together to provide incredible results without irritation. The result is skin with a reduction in fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, an improvement in skin hydration and texture, and a strengthened skin barrier. In other words, this potent face cream works wonders overnight to bring you younger-looking, healthier and more hydrated skin, delivering incredible results you can see. In fact, in clinical trials, the Skin Diary Night Repair Therapy was proven to increase collagen and elastic fibres, and clinically proven to significantly reduce wrinkles in 12 weeks. Better still, in consumer trials, 93 per cent of users noticed healthier-looking skin, 86 per cent experienced more youthful-looking skin and 98 per cent agreed the cream was gentle on the skin. Users can't get enough of the Skin Diary cream, calling it 'fabulous on the skin' and adding how their skin already 'looks happier and healthier.' 'I am so impressed with this product,' raved one impressed five-star reviewer. 'I have seen a real difference to my skin. I have improved clarity, even skin tone, plumpness and will continue to use now I have discovered it.' Another added: 'OMG this cream is a time machine! I am 64 years old and I have tried loads over creams and regimes over the years, some cheap, some eye wateringly expensive, this is by far the best I have used. 'I have been using it for 10 days and there is a noticeable difference in pore size and my skin looks fresher.' Ready to turn back the clocks? Snap up this top-selling cream with a whopping 10 per cent discount with our exclusive discount code DAILY_MAIL_JULY25 for a limited time.
Daily Mail
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump's 'mysterious condition' resurfaces during Scotland visit
Donald Trump once again had a mysterious tan makeup caked on his hand Sunday during his trip to Scotland. The splotched hand appeared just weeks after The White House revealed that Trump has been diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency.' Earlier this month, Trump, 79, appeared at a White House press gaggle with what looked like makeup covering a patch on the back of his hand, sparking concerns. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed the president recently 'noticed mild swelling in the lower legs' and was evaluated by the White House medical unit. Leavitt said he underwent a 'comprehensive examination' which included 'diagnostic vascular studies.' 'Bilateral, lower extremity ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency,' Leavitt stated. She said it's a 'common condition' in individuals over the age of 70 and there was 'no evidence' of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. 'The president remains in excellent health,' Leavitt said overall. The president has spent the past few days in Scotland meeting with everyone from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The makeup covering has been visible in multiple press photos throughout Trump's trip. The makeup appeared to be concealing a raised circular area of skin that Trump's team may have been eager to hide. The splotch has been visible on other occasions throughout the past month, sparking a new round of questions about the cause. Earlier this month, in a surprise statement during a press briefing, Leavitt told reporters the president was checked out by his doctor after noticeable 'swelling.' Leavitt said in response to a question that there was 'no discomfort from the president at all.' She then pointed to his daily activities. 'And you probably all see that on a day-to-day basis, he's working around the clock. As for the treatment, I can defer to the president's physician,' she said. The letter released by White House Physician Sean Barbarella, DO, references 'mild swelling' in Trump's lower legs, and states the diagnosis emerged after a series of vascular studies. Neither Leavitt nor the letter addressed whether Trump would have to modify any of his routines, which include frequent golfing at his private courses on weekends, and his trademark dance moves to 'Y.M.C.A.' when he addresses rally crowds. Leavitt said there was 'no discomfort' for the president at all. Officials have previously mentioned Trump's frequent handshaking – Trump regularly interacts with a large number of people at White House events and when he travels – as the cause of the bruising, but have not previously identified the aspirin issue. The bruising had stayed with Trump from the presidential campaign through his return to the White House. According to the Cleveland Clinic, chronic venous insufficiency occurs when leg veins are damaged, making it more difficult for blood to return to the heart. It 'causes blood to pool in your leg veins, leading to high pressure in those veins.' The condition is fairly common, affecting one in 20 adults, and the risk increases with age. It can lead to achy legs, a feeling of 'pins and needles,' cramping, swelling and itching, as well as 'Leathery-looking skin on your legs.' Up to half the people who have had deep vein thrombosis later develop post-thrombotic syndrome within a year or two. That relates to scar tissue that can develop after a blood clot. Trump was the oldest person to take the Oath of Office when he was sworn in in January at age 78. He has said repeatedly that his predecessor Joe Biden, 82, had no idea what he was doing and this week opened a probe into an alleged 'cover-up' through his use of an autopen for a series of commutations. Trump reposted an item in May calling Biden a 'decrepit [expletive],' days after Biden got a prostate cancer diagnosis. Trump has made a point of demonstrating his own physical and mental vigor – taking question after question from reporters inside the Oval Office, sometimes speaking for up to an hour.
