The United Kingdom’s National Health Service has been facing something of a crisis over the last several months. For those of you unfamiliar with what’s been happening (the issue hasn’t really gained any media traction here in the U.S.), a majority of the country’s 55,000 junior doctors have been holding regular strikes. In the U.K., the way in which doctors train is very different from the U.S., with often over a decade spent as a “junior doctor” before reaching attending level. So-called junior doctors, therefore, deliver most of the nation’s frontline care.
What’s the dispute all about? In a nutshell, the Conservative Party, which won last year’s general election, led by Prime Minister David Cameron, did so with a manifesto pledge to deliver a “7-day NHS.” Various figures were quoted by the department of health for why care at weekends was inferior to weekdays, including increased mortality rates (which junior doctors heavily disputed). The government then proposed a new contract for doctors, which would essentially try to increase staffing at weekends.
Unfortunately, this was without allocating any extra resources or staff for the change. In fact, the government was actually trying to class weekends as “normal working days,” so that they wouldn’t attract a premium pay rate as they currently do. Junior doctors were outraged, claiming that this would actually decrease their pay by up to 40 percent (no wonder they threatened strike action). Neither are they paid staggering amounts in the first place. The Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt — who incidentally has no background in health care — became the most vilified person in the U.K. within the medical profession.
Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
No comments:
Post a Comment