Strikes undermine doctors' pledge to First Do No Harm

THE WEEKLY ripple of applause for NHS workers which soundtracked  peak the pandemic's seems a lifetime away on the cold picket line as the junior doctors' strike enters day three.

- Caroline Bullock

Locked in a "who blinks first" fight with the Government, the medics are holding out for their 35 per cent pay hike even as the tooting horns of passing cars in solidarity become fainter.

Truth be told, the public good is being tested as what is set to become the longest walkout in NHS history plays Russian roulette with patient safety and pushes an already embattled service to the brink.

Having already rejected an extra three per cent on top of an average 8.8 per cent rise for 2023-24, junior doctors are the last ones standing on the picket lines. Senior colleagues have accepted generous deals and returned to wards, as have nurses, paramedics and physios.

The Government is unwavering in its stance towards the remaining rebels - another pay offer will be made when the action is called off, but the medics will not budge without knowing the numbers first.

Apparently, for some strikers, this stalemate has been significantly sweetened by the prospect of a rare and extended festive break at this busy and stressful time of year. It's particularly galling for the patients bearing the brunt of cancelled operations or facing Christmas confined to their wards due to discharge delays.