Unfortunately, my first post is about the current six-day strike implemented by the NHS junior doctors. I say unfortunately because the strike, regardless of one’s thoughts about its merits, will inevitably cause disruption to NHS patients.
The right of workers to ask for better working conditions and/or salary, I think is valid – no-one should be pressured into accepting conditions far below what is acceptable. On the other hand, disruption of services by key staff like doctors, police and other emergency services, can have serious consequences for ordinary citizens.
I have collated responses from various media outlets and social media. The BBC’s approach is as always very measured and factual. They report on the pressure the strike is causing hospitals: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-67894936 and the current state of the negotiations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-67867273 .
What I find interesting is the BBC chart showing the effect of inflation on junior doctors’ pay:
This effectively means that this class of doctors is effectively poorer than they were 10-15 years ago taking into accounts changes in salary and cost of living expenses.
What strikes me more is the reported £14/hr being paid to doctors.
I assume this is on average, i.e. including newly-graduated doctors embarking on the first phase of their career. Even so, £14/hr is just slightly higher than what some of my school-age friends earn on their Saturday jobs!!
This doesn’t sound right. The effort it takes to get accepted into a medical school, here in the UK and elsewhere, the six years of medical studies, the many years of specialisation and work under great pressure… plus the obvious fact that doctors (as well as other NHS professionals) save lives or at least improve outcomes… I would have thought a higher salary would be justified !?
I don’t wish to be political but it is clear that some newspapers and magazines are very critical of the strikers’ position, mentioning greed as the main motivation. I don’t know if I should quote directly but it is clear that some media outlets are clearly on the government’s side.
Some users of a popular social networking site go as far as stating that they also work 40 hour weeks for less than £14/hr so the doctors should be thankful for the current salary levels they earn. Again, this seems absurd – one can’t compare the value provided by health professionals to the community with that of other professions.
Hopefully, a compromise will be reached soon, with the junior doctors receiving an acceptable pay rate and NHS patients being treated in a more timely manner.
Meddie 
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