Junior doctors: Picket lines at three Sheffield hospitals as four-day strike begins

Junior doctors are taking strike action for the fifth time this year, from today (August 11) until 7am on Monday, August 14.

Many are on picket lines across the city, at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, and outside Netherthorpe House.

Alexander Burnett, NHS oncology trainee and Labour councillor for Penistone East, said on Twitter: “Today I’d rather be in the hospital doing the breast radiotherapy clinic but instead I’m on the picket lines again asking for fair pay and conditions for junior doctors. Scores of my colleagues have left, this can’t go on.”

Patients will be contacted if their appointments have been affected, and should otherwise turn up as usual. GP appointments and services are not affected.

Sheffield Health and Care Partnership said: “Please continue to come forward for the care you need. Please choose NHS services wisely during this time. Please continue to use NHS 111 online for urgent health needs and only use 999 for life-threatening emergencies.”

The title ‘junior doctor’ applies to about half the medics in the NHS, which is 75,000 doctors in total. It covers doctors who have just left medical school as well as those who have been in the job for a decade and are about to become consultants.

Thousands of doctors across the country in the BMA trade union, some of whom only joined the NHS after medical school last week, are on the picket lines.

In July, Rishi Sunak said the government implementing a six per cent rise in salaries across the public sector is the final offer, and “no amount of strikes will change [that] decision”.

The six per cent pay rise will apply across the NHS, with junior doctors also receiving a one-off sum of £1,250. 

The BMA wants a 35 per cent increase, which equates to the pay level in 2008. They have received below-inflation raises ever since. 

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he is “concerned about the impact the strikes are having on patients”.

He said: “Of course I stand ready to have discussions with junior doctors in terms of other issues about working conditions, but in terms of pay, we have made a fair and final offer.

“We have accepted in full the recommendations of the Independent Pay Review Body process and that is why the BMA should now call off their strikes."