Doctors go on strike in Bristol
Doctors across Bristol are striking today for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Members of the British Medical Association are taking industrial action in a dispute with the Government about pensions.
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In the Bristol area, two thousand doctors are members of the BMA and around half of them voted not to handle routine appointments and surgery on the day of action.
Even if only those who voted took part it would mean around 1,000 doctors treating emergency cases only.
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So far managers at Bristol’s two hospital trusts have refused to reveal how many doctors had informed them they would be taking part in the action or say how many operations and consultations are being cancelled as a result.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has said that, nationally, up to 1.25 million GP appointments are set to be cancelled, along with 30,000 operations, including an estimated 700 hip or knee replacements.
Care of hospital inpatients is not due to be affected by the action.
Speaking earlier this week, James Rimmer, chief operating officer of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the city centre hospitals, said: “Our emergency departments and all other urgent services will be running as normal.”
He said the trust had contacted non-urgent patients affected by the action and had set up a phone number – 0117 342 4000 – for patients to call today if they had queries.
North Bristol NHS Trust and Weston Area Health Trust also said all urgent and emergency services would be unaffected and anyone who had not been told their appointment was being cancelled should assume it is going ahead.
Comments
by DockLobster
Saturday, June 23 2012, 12:30PM
“£100, 000 a year means they pay more tax than layabouts like you Sandstorm ever will.
Perhaps you would like to train for 10 years doing 70 hours a week saving lives in order to earn less than an average footballer earns in a week?”
by Sandstorm10
Thursday, June 21 2012, 10:16PM
“I should think so too! How can one possibly make provision for a decent pension on only £100,000 a year!”
by Big_Gregory
Thursday, June 21 2012, 7:57PM
“Greedy. Whatever salaries you hear GP's and Consultants are on double it which will give you a better idea once they have done all their private reports for DVLA, Insurance companies etc whom they charge a fortune for very little effort.
The private sector have had to accept longer working lives, increased contributions and reduced returns etc so the public sector should follow suit. Why is it only the public sector that can't grasp the fact that people are living so much longer and pensions in their current guise can no longer be sustained. They talk about fairness but where is the fairness of someone in the private sector like me having their own pension reduced and then having to prop up the greedy public sector with my taxes.
No doubt someone will respond to saying the private sector should stand up for their pensions too and not drag the public sector down too - wrong. Its basic economics and maths that is driving all pensions down.”
by ceembee
Thursday, June 21 2012, 7:27PM
“@ Jab_the_cab - I seem to recall several strike days called by public sector unions recently but I don't think the Gov't is going to change its' mind on this and many in this sector are fearful for their jobs too given the large scale redundancies that have taken place in the past couple of years or so. Gov't is asking people to pay more into the pension pot but take home less when they eventually retire as they are also being asked to work much longer. For the majority they will receive around a sixth of a doctor's pension.”
by artglad
Thursday, June 21 2012, 2:49PM
“I can only support the doctors in their action against the action of the lib dem / tory thugs.”
by Jab_the_cab
Thursday, June 21 2012, 1:18PM
“Everyone else with a public sector pension should also be taking industrial action to prevent government raids on their pensions. Why are these funds not ring-fenced in separate trust funds as they have been in the private sector since the days of Robert Maxwell?”