Five day junior doctor strike cancelled

A five-day strike was meant to be taking place this week in hospitals across the country, but the British Medical Association (BMA) called it off citing patient safety. This move has divided the medical community. There are those who side with the BMA, agreeing that such radical action, the longest strike in the history of the NHS, would have seriously endangered patient safety, yet many are concerned with the state of the NHS and the general sense of hopelessness that’s descending upon British medical professionals.

Within the Imperial College School of Medicine Student’s Union (ICSMSU) there are similar sentiments. Alex Compton, ICSMSU President said, “Doctors have always put patients at the heart of every decision and the suspension of industrial action shows their commitment to patient safety. We will continue to work with the United Hospitals MedGroup and our BMA reps to ensure that the voices of medical students are heard alongside the voices of our future colleagues...Many medical students are struggling to get to grips with such an intricate contract and we are only here to amplify the student voice. ICSMSU support the suspension of industrial action if patient safety would have been compromised.”

However, the cancellation of the strike is not synonymous with defeat. As Compton says, “We are in a historical turning point for our National Health Service. This contract has the potential to change the lives of junior doctors and patients all over England. As future leaders, we encourage all students to take up arms and make their voices heard alongside their peers.”