Junior doctors are vowing to continue with their next wave of unprecedented walkouts from next month in England despite suspending strike action in September.
Junior Doctors’ Strike Dates:
September 12 to 16 (suspended)
October 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11
November 14 to 18
December 5 to 9
The Government and British Medical Association (BMA) remain at loggerheads over the contract weeks before it is brought in, which the Department for Health says will provide a seven-day NHS.
Here’s why junior doctors are striking:
What Is A Junior Doctor?
History Of The Dispute
The dispute began in 2015 over a new contract. There have already been six strike dates, including two all-out stoppages for the first time in NHS history.
A deal was announced in May but members of the British Medical Association (BMA) rejected the agreement 58% to 42% despite the union urging doctors to accept it.
The current contract: Concerns remain over the impact on those working less than full time - the majority of whom are women - and the impact on those working the most weekends
The new contract: Under the new contract basic pay would be increased by between 10% and 11%, but junior doctors argue that changes to hours means a decrease in overall pay
What Do Junior Doctors Earn?
A junior doctor starting training will earn a basic salary of around £23,000, plus extra if they work more than 40 hours a week, or work anti-social hours outside 7am-7pm Monday to Friday. This increases to around £28,00 in the second year. The average pay for a trainee doctor is around £37,000.
Six strikes have already taken place causing disruption to hundreds of thousands of patients who have had appointments and operations cancelled.