Junior docs to strike

The Royal Oldham Hospital

JUNIOR doctors at the Royal Oldham Hospital will strike tomorrow following “dangerous and unfair” plans to change working contracts.

Ministers have argued that junior contracts should be changed to take in the creation of a seven-day NHS. Doctors are concerned that new contracts will extend the hours for which they are paid basic rates (7am-7pm Monday to Friday), to 7am-10pm Monday to Saturday.

They also fear safeguards preventing hospitals forcing them to work dangerously long hours and the current banding system which dictates how much they would be paid, especially in overtime, would be removed.

Dr Rory Hicks (24), a foundation year two doctor at the Royal Oldham, will be striking with his colleagues outside the hospital’s main entrance. He said: “The changes being proposed for our contracts are not just unfair to junior doctors, they are dangerous as well. When a tired doctor makes a mistake, you don’t just get a slap on the wrist from your boss, you’re potentially having a harmful effect on your patient.”