In the United Kingdom, an unprecedented strike action is affecting the British public health system. Young doctors have launched a strike, which will last six days. They are demanding an increase in wages.
Thousands of British doctors have started a strike action unprecedented in the country’s history. This 6-day strike promises to be the longest in the British public health system, the ” National Health Service” (NHS), already out of breath.
These are the junior doctors, doctors with a status close to that of interns in France, who will stop working for six days, starting this Wednesday, to demand raises. According to the unions, their salaries have fallen by almost a quarter since 2008, and have not been reevaluated despite inflation and the increasing cost of living.
Unscheduled operations
Hospital managers have indicated that tens of thousands of scheduled appointments and operations will be canceled during this unprecedented strike by junior doctors, those in the first years of their careers, across England and Wales.
The junior doctors plan not to work until 7 a.m. next Tuesday.
Senior doctors and other health professionals had to be mobilized to provide emergency services, intensive care and maternity services.
Julian Hartley, chief executive of healthcare managers’ organization NHS Providers, said the strike came at one of the most difficult times of the year for the health service, “immediately after the Christmas and New Year period, due to pressures, demands and, of course, flu and COVID.”
In the UK, there are almost 70,000 young doctors in the country.