Junior doctors in Tunbridge Wells went on strike for the second time in the space of a month over their dispute with the Government on pay and conditions last Wednesday.
The industrial action started last month with staff fearing patient safety would be at risk if greater weekend working hours were implemented.
The Government has refuted that would be the case with revisions to junior doctors’ contracts, which are reported to include Saturday working as part of normal hours.
Hannah Warren [pictured far right], a junior doctor at the Pembury hospital said: “What has been proposed amounts to a pay cut, but the real sticking point is over the removal of safeguards to prevent working long hours.
“There are no more doctors to put into the system and services have already become stretched. The idea from the Government is to spread services more thinly over seven days.
“This is a very stressful and difficult job that is becoming increasingly difficult, and what is being proposed is further harming morale. So this strike is about everything that the NHS stands for and we want to see it continue. I love my job and hope that I can continue as well.”
