Would you support the doctors' strike.

The conclusion I am reaching Gracesgran (although still trying to figure it all out) is that there were obviously so few doctors on duty/at work over the holiday period that being in hospital was probably not the best place to be ill.

I am afraid I can't see what conclusion you are reaching in your post gillybob?

I do, indeed, have my blood tests done at my local supermarket but I appreciate that this was a horrible situation for you to be in.

Reading back through this thread janeainsworth wrote, have you ever been in hospital over the weekend?

I will share my recent experience.

As many of you know my mum is serioulsy ill and is a dialysis patient. She also has terminal bone cancer and is in pain 24/7.

The longest time she can go without dialysis is 2 days so you ca imagine what it is like during Christmas/New year holidays can't you?

She has been extremely poorly over the Christmas break and took a very bad turn whilst on dialysis on Saturday 2nd January (she would normally have been there on the Friday). Frantic searches by the nurses on the wards could not find a doctor. Any bloody doctor. Anywhere.

The result of this was advice to come off her dialysis 2 hours early, get an ambulance home and ring the GP which we did. The out of hours GP was shocked (to say the least) that she had been allowed to leave a hospital in that state, never mind the fact that there were no doctors (junior or otherwise) available to see her.

You could not make this up ! I spoke with another gransnetter on 2nd January who asked "where the hell would you expect to go to see a doctor, the supermarket?"

Well aparently it is not in a huge hospital at the weekend !

I have to agree Iam64. It is not really about money or "what we can afford" nor is it the case that those who oppose privatisation do not understand that changes must be made - in fact change is essential to move forward and make what we have cover what we need - but that is not what this is about (and I agree re education too). This is about politics and the politics of the capitalist. I too support the doctors.

I believe this government is committed to reducing or getting rid of pretty much all areas of public service, including education and health. This thread is about the NHS but in support of my comment I'll simply say "free schools and academies - no local authority oversight or protection"

The NHS is a long way down the road to privatisation. I feel as a country we've allowed the government to sleep walk us into losing an institution with a proud and much loved history. GP practices are going under, specialist services gradually disappearing. The lack of availability for NHS dentistry pushed many of us into the private sector and it seems clear that podiatry is going the same way. It is very depressing and shocking that junior doctors feel there is no option but to strike. Yes I support them.

I don't know if anyone saw a JD being interviewed yesterday but the government rep was staying they had offered x percent and she replied that you could offer 20%, 30% or even twice what they were earning and it wouldn't help. She said use the money for more doctors, more nurses and more people in other areas.

The government either just don't get it or they are obsessed with making the NHS smaller and pushing people out to no care or private care.

www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/dr-yannis-gourtsoyannis/your-junior-doctors-need-you

Yes, anyone on facebook, can you put the link on please?
Have sent it to all I know who are on facebook.

I think the public will Jen, well not the far right

"We are in no doubt that Osborne, Cameron and Hunt will use the proposed doctor’s contract as a tool for achieving the destruction of safe terms and conditions throughout the NHS and throughout the public sector. The Conservative Party is attempting to stretch the NHS into an ostensibly 7-day elective service whilst simultaneously launching the biggest assault on NHS resources in its history. The politics of austerity represents a clear and present danger to the nation’s health.

A victory for the Junior Doctors would signify the first real crack in the entire edifice of austerity in the UK.

Please stand with us. And when you need us, ask us. We will stand by you."

From the article. They want the public to stand with them at the picket lines.

The government want this strike, it's a political move just as Thatchers move on the miners , they want to destroy the NHS and so have pushed the doctors into this

www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/dr-yannis-gourtsoyannis/your-junior-doctors-need-you

A message about the doctors strike.

nhap.org/nurses-will-vote-with-their-feet-says-dr-clive-peedell/

NHA Christmas message. Stop our nurses going abroad. Stop taking money out of the NHS.

I wonder of Hunt or Cameron downloaded the NHS Christmas song.

www.pulsetoday.co.uk/home/finance-and-practice-life-news/gps-have-faced-too-much-criticism-says-nhs-england-medical-director/20030656.article

Can you believe this?

Why has it taken him so long to realise?

The situation Lynnabelle has described happened to me last Christmas- I was losing the sight in my left eye and was rushed to A&E. After a junior doctor examined my eye he immediately called the senior doctor, who called an eye specialist, who came from his bed about an hour's drive away in the middle of the night and during the hours that followed, saved the sight of my eye.

Inevitably I was in A&E a long time and marvelled as the staff dealt with many drunks who were being abusive, vomiting and being generally disgusting and disrespectful. One of them lost consciousness and the staff leapt into action to resucitate this person. I'd overheard a conversation between a junior doctor and nursing staff and he had been on duty for about 50 hours at that point. After so little sleep, it's amazing the doctor was still standing, never mind functioning in a critical situtation.

Who can perform well after so little sleep? That is how mistakes can occur. It must surely be the way to drive the young doctors to seek better pay and conditions elsewhere. I support them 100%. We need doctors to have reasonable working hours and conditions, so they can give the very best care to patients in need of their education and skills.

(The problems with the drunks in our towns and cities every weekend is another matter of concern.)

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/nhs-winter-crisis-government-accused-of-trying-to-cover-up-scale-a6761856.html

NHS are doctoring the figures for the winter. I wonder why.

nhap.org/landmark-report-from-the-independent-healthcare-commission/

Anyone who lives in North West London, this report is about your healthcare.
It is also important for everyone else. Chaired by Michael Mansfield QC.
Very long; be warned.

Looks like the strike is off and Hunt and the doctors have worked some sort of compromise. Good!

www.hospitaldr.co.uk/blogs/our-news/bma-a-return-to-genuine-negotiations-is-preferable-to-the-imposition-of-a-new-contract-or-a-strike

Time limited appears to mean until 13th January. I wonder how long Hunt will take off over Christmas.

The NI system has never worked as such - it is not an insurance system any more, but another tax.

I don't think any taxes go to specific purposes, no matter what they were originally intended for!

In that case, roseq, why have NI? Why not call it all income tax and lump it all together?
I don't know!
NI goes to the NHS and welfare including pensions. Income tax also goes to welfare including pensions - and the NHS?
Road fund licence goes to goodness knows where
etc etc

We'd better not bomb Syria yet. Army medics are going to be drafted in to the NHS if the strikes are not called off. First strike could be on Tuesday.

In that case, roseq, why have NI? Why not call it all income tax and lump it all together?

I don't think anyone is suggesting bombing Syria indiscriminately
I really don't know where that came from, I didn't type it ????
Gremlins in the system?? What's going on?

I don't think anyone is suggesting bombing Syria indiscriminately

I pay hardly any, but would be happy to pay a bit more.
I still don't understand why retired people don't pay a proportion of the NI stamp - not the part contributing to the State Pension but a certain amount which could be collected along with tax, if they pay tax, to contribute to the NHS.

I think I said that on a previous thread and someone explained why not, but I can't remember the reason.
I am sure it all goes into one pot anyway.