A trainee doctor was today happy to be free until after Christmas – as he takes part in the three-day strike aimed at paralyzing hospitals during the busiest time of the year.
Dr. Andrew Lawson-Hughes posted a smiling selfie on X, formerly known as Twitter, along with a message saying: 'God bless the BMA.'
Thousands of crucial appointments and operations are expected to be canceled as a result of the British Medical Association's (BMA) action, adding further pressure on hospitals already facing record backlogs and winter pressure.
Health leaders warned that the ongoing strike, which started at 7am today and ends on Saturday morning, leaves patients' safety in a “precarious state”.
Dr. Lawson-Hughes, a first-year doctor in Yorkshire, has long been vocal in his support for the disruption.
Dr. Andrew Lawson-Hughes posted a smiling selfie on X, formerly known as Twitter, along with a message saying: 'God bless the BMA.' Thousands of crucial appointments and operations are expected to be canceled as a result of the British Medical Association's (BMA) action, increasing pressure on already fledgling hospitals with record backlogs and winter pressure.
It was revealed yesterday that Cheltenham General Hospital's emergency department will already be closed until 8am on Saturday, in an early sign of the widespread damage this week's industrial action will cause.
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Discussing the previous BMA strike action in October, the 28-year-old said: “You could pull my cold corpse off the picket line before I would do anything this mess of a government wants.”
Dr. Lawson-Hughes has only been working as a junior doctor since July, after completing a four-year course at the University of Birmingham this summer.
Trainee doctors have left their posts for three consecutive days today, in action that threatens to cause 'massive disruption' to 'almost all' routine care.
A further six days of action are planned from January 2 – the longest in the 75-year history of healthcare.
It is not known whether Dr Lawson-Hughes went to the picket lines at the hospital today. MailOnline tried to contact the doctor today but received no response.
In response to his post on X, he was criticized for his wording “given the circumstances.”
One user, who claims to be a safety representative at the Royal College of Nursing, said: 'It might be worth spending your days off reading this article; I'm not sure this is the message that needs to be conveyed.'
The strikes come at the busiest time of year for the NHS due to the increase in winter illnesses and staff holidays.
It was revealed yesterday that Cheltenham General Hospital's emergency department will already be closed until 8am on Saturday, in an early sign of the widespread damage this week's industrial action will cause.
Health authorities also fear thousands of patients are at risk of ending up in hospital over Christmas.
Every day, approximately 13,000 people who are considered medically well enough to leave the hospital are in wards.
This is largely due to the limited capacity of social care and community services.
The BMA rejected a last-minute plea from health charities, patient groups and NHS leaders for young doctors to continue working in some healthcare areas this week.
In response to his post, the medic was criticized for bragging “given the circumstances.” In another post, an X user also wrote: 'Maybe it's worth reading this article; I'm not sure this is the message that needs to be conveyed.”
NHS bosses had already warned that hospitals will only operate at full capacity for four weekdays until January 10. Only December 27, 28, 29 and January 2 are not affected by the impending chaos of the holidays and strikes until January 10.
Dr. Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairs of the BMA's junior doctors committee, blamed the strike action instead on “unnecessary posturing” by ministers, which has delayed talks to resolve the dispute.
They had been engaged in negotiations for five weeks, trying to find a solution to the long-running wage dispute.
But the union said its junior doctors committee voted unanimously in favor of further strikes after accusing the Department of Health and Social Care of failing to make a “credible” offer.
The BMA has claimed that trainee doctors have seen their wages fall by more than a quarter in real terms since 2008.
Trainee doctors have demanded full pay reinstatement – worth around 35 percent – and have said they would not settle for anything less.
In the summer, ministers had initially offered doctors in training an average pay increase of 8.8 percent for the 2023/2024 financial year.
However, the increase was larger for first-year doctors, who received a boost of 10.3 percent.
Junior doctors in their first year now have a basic salary of £32,300, while those with three years' experience earn £43,900. The oldest earn £63,100.
Ministers emphasized that this was the final offer. But earlier this month, Health Minister Victoria Atkins offered doctors an additional 3 percent on top of this increase.
The Cheltenham General Hospital ward will be closed this morning until 8am on December 23 – shortly after the national three-day junior doctors' strike ended
Commenting on today's strike action, she said: 'TAt Christmas we know that these strikes, if they continue today, tomorrow and Friday, will mean that people will stay in hospital for longer than if the strikes had not happened, because hospitals will not be able to discharge them.
'So there will be people who spend Christmas in hospital rather than at home. That is a huge cost to individuals and their families.
'But also for other members of the healthcare system, because junior doctors, the committee, seem to expect consultants and others to do their work for them.
'And I am very aware that it has been a difficult year for all our doctors. “I want them to be able to enjoy Christmas and enjoy their rest as much as we all want, but they are going to do the job for the doctors who are on strike.”
But the BMA doubled the original demanded a 35 percent salary increase and promised “not to stop until we achieve a full wage recovery.”
Nurses, physiotherapists and paramedics have all called off strikes over pay deals, while consultants are due to vote on an offer their leaders have accepted.
NHS strikes by doctors, nurses and other staff since December last year are now estimated to have cost the health service more than £2 billion, NHS England said last week.
Bosses also believe more than 2 million appointments have been lost due to strikes.