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Junior doctors are took part in a second round of walk-outs on Wednesday (February 10).
Picket lines formed outside hospitals up and down west London, as medics downed tools for the start of the 24 hours of industrial action, running from 8am on Wednesday to 8am on Thursday (February 10-11).
It is the second walk-out this year following the first strike on January 12 , and comes amid a dispute between the government and British Medical Association (BMA) over plans to implement a new contract. Medics argue it could lead to doctors working longer hours and a reduction in their overall pay.
Hopes that further industrial action would be avoided had been raised when plans for a 48 hour strike in January were cancelled amid progress being made in Acas talks between the two warring factions.
Charing Cross
The walk-out at Charing Cross started at 8am today (February 10), but junior doctors will be offering emergency care during its duration.
Junior doctors at the Gordon Hospital in Pimlico were also taking part in the national strike. Dr Alexi Theodorou said: “Junior doctors leave medical school after five years minimum with large debts in the tens of thousands... It is so demoralising to be told that we will get less money and have to work even harder. This is an unfair and unsafe contract.”
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte and Chelsea, Charing Cross, St Mary’s and Western Eye hospitals said it had worked with the BMA to ensure patient safety and minimise disruption.
Some appointments had been cancelled and re-booked and it urged people to think twice before attending. A statement read: “As there will be reduced services as a result of the action, you should avoid coming to our hospitals unless it is an emergency or you have a planned appointment that is going ahead. Please use other services where appropriate, such as your local GP practice, walk-in centres or pharmacies, for advice and treatment.”
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Trust, which took over the running of West Middlesex Hospital last year , said cover is being provided to help deal with the walk-out: “Consultants will cover the usual duties of our junior doctors on our hospital wards to ensure the safety of inpatients. Other clinical staff including nurses, midwives and allied health professionals will be providing further clinical resilience to ensure the safety of our patients.”
Ealing Hospital
More than 50 people, most of them junior doctors, gathered outside Ealing Hospital .
Members of the public and other medical staff joined junior doctors from around 8.30am to voice their anger at the contract changes proposed by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The number of junior doctors turning out at the hospital to picket during the strike, running from 8am on Wednesday to 8am on Thursday (February 10-11), was claimed to be higher than the first strike on January 12 .
Ravi Ganepola, a junior doctor at Ealing Hospital in his second year who lives in Hammersmith, said: "Junior doctors would come off the picket lines if the Department of Health/NHS employers acknowledge the simple fact that you cannot provide additional cover for elective procedures at weekends without providing a single penny extra in funding.
"We would all love to see more staff at the weekends in hospital but you cannot expect the limited number of doctors in the system to work even more hours for even less pay to fund this.
"As the old adage goes, their current approach 'isn't safe and it isn't fair'. We are human beings."
'Seven-day-a-week care needed'
The changes proposed by the South West Surrey MP offer a basic pay rise of 11%, but junior doctors argue their overall pay will be reduced because, they believe, the new contract does not recognise the difference between normal working hours and anti-social hours.
Junior doctors are also fearful that the new contracts remove vital safeguarding to prevent them working dangerous hours.
Sean Morris, a junior doctor at Ealing Hospital who was also on strike, said: "I think we still have to resolve the issue of fair pay and we still have to resolve the issue with safety.
"The government should stop playing politics and start putting patients first."
Conservative Councillor Joy Morrissey, who represents the Hanger ward, said: "I have tremendous regard for the great work junior doctors do but the case for high quality care seven days a week is unarguable.
"Given that, under the proposals put forward by NHS employers, 75% of doctors will see their pay increase and all will have their pay protected, coupled with a shorter maximum working week (91 to 72 hours), I very much hope that junior doctors will now urge the BMA to return to the negotiating table rather than pursuing further strike action which can only lead to patients suffering."
But Labour MP Stephen Pound, who represents Ealing North, said: "I think it is a disgrace that the secretary is incapable of negotiating with people who have the best interests of their patients and and the NHS at heart.
"We have to get round the negotiating table to get them (doctors) back round the operating table."
West Middlesex
West Middlesex Hospital said its focus was on providing emergency and maternity care and looking after inpatients and those receiving treatment for cancer.
The Isleworth hospital, which is part of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said the highest priority appointments were going ahead as planned.
However, it said some non-urgent appointments had been cancelled due to the strike, with all those affected having been contacted in advance.
Quddous Ahmed met junior doctors and took this photo of them on the picket line after attending a routine check-up at West Middlesex Hospital.
"When I came out to speak to them and show my support almost all the drivers who passed were tooting their horns in solidarity," he told getwestlondon .
"One of my best friends is a junior doctor in his final year and after he explained his side of the story, I totally agree with what they're saying.
"The amount of work they do and the crucial service they provide our society should be reciprocated with a pay package that reflects that.
"If the government supports our doctors the way they would like to be supported I think the level of service they can provide would be enhanced."
Hillingdon CCG
At Hillingdon Hospital, postponed appointments included eight elective and 15 day cases. In addition, 109 outpatient appointments were rearranged.
Hillingdon Clinical Care Commissioning Group (CCG) spokesperson said: "We have tried and tested plans in place to deal with a range of disruptions, including industrial action.
"Please be assured that patients in need of urgent and emergency care will continue to receive the treatment they need, when they need it.
"However, due to increased pressures on NHS services over this period, some elective operations and non-urgent outpatient appointments will unfortunately need to be postponed or rearranged."
The CCG reminded patients that A&E is for emergencies only. Patients in need of less urgent care are warned they may experience longer waiting times than normal if they present at A&E during the industrial action.
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