Junior doctors' strike: All-out stoppage 'a bleak day'
The first-ever all-out doctors' strike is a "bleak day", ministers say, but hospitals seem to be coping well during Tuesday's stoppage in England.
Junior doctors walked out of routine and emergency care at 08:00 BST.
The strike affects A&E, maternity and intensive care for the first time.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt expressed disappointment that the stoppage was taking place, but again said the government would not back down and halt the imposition of the new contract.
The walkout ends at 17:00 BST with further all-out action due to take place on Wednesday, between the same hours, in the protest against the imposition of the new contract from the summer.
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Hunt described it as a "very, very bleak day" for the NHS, but said no union had the right to stop a government trying to act on a manifesto promise.
"The reason this has happened is because the government has been unable to negotiate sensibly and reasonably with the BMA."
Before the strike, government sources had indicated that they could not give in because the row had become political, with the BMA trying to topple the government, and other unions watching the dispute "like hawks". The BMA described this as ridiculous.
During the stoppage, hospitals can request that junior doctors return to work if needed, but as yet, no NHS trust has raised the alarm.
There have been reports that hospitals may be quieter than normal with patients heeding warnings to stay away unless absolutely necessary.
Healthcare is a Right.
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cris axtell/coal hill ken
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Re: Healthcare is a Right.
Isn't that a violation of there Hippocratic oath ?
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Re: Healthcare is a Right.
cris axtell/coal hill ken wrote:Isn't that a violation of there Hippocratic oath ?
With government in control, it would be meaningless to take the oath.
"The Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest binding documents in history. Written in antiquity, its principles are held sacred by doctors to this day: treat the sick to the best of one's ability, preserve patient privacy, teach the secrets of medicine to the next generation, and so on."
They encourage killing babies so why bother.