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good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. thousands ofjunior doctors in england have begun a four—day strike in support of their demand for a pay rise of 35%. the bma union says the figure would make up for 15 years of below—inflation wage rises. the government says the claim is unaffordable and has urged the bma to come to the table with a "realistic" approach. more than 250,000 appointments and operations could be cancelled, and some hospitals say up to half of planned treatment is affected. junior doctors — who are qualified doctors in clinical training — previously went on strike between the 13 and 15th of march. that led to 175,000 outpatient appointments and operations being rescheduled. professor sir stephen powis, nhs england's national medical director, has warned services "will be stretched", adding the strikes "will cause significant disruption". the health secretary steve barclay
thousands ofjunior doctors in england have begun a four—day strike, with nhs leaders warning it could be the most disruptive in health service history. a three—day walk—out last month meant more than 175,000 treatments and appointments were cancelled. the fallout from the current industrial action is expected to be worse. today's strike began at 7am, and will run until 6:59 on saturday morning. junior doctors' pay is complex and changes as they progress, in the first decade of their career. after qualifying, basic pay is almost £30,000, and this can be topped up by overtime and extra payments for working unsocial hours. with about seven or eight years' experience, they'll have moved up five pay scales, and with specalist training, can expect to earn a basic salary of between £50,000 and £60,000 a year. the union representing junior doctors is asking for a 35% pay rise, saying this will restore wages to 2008—2009 levels, taking account of inflation.
that they could be helped with. the last industrial action byjunior doctors over three days saw 175,000 appointments cancelled nationally. this strike is longer and the impact on patients will be greater. alastair fee, bbc news. we're joined by matthew taylor, who's the chief executive of the nhs confederation which represents trusts in england, wales and northern ireland. good morning. we heard in the report that last month, 72 hour walk—outs or 175,000 appointments cancelled, and cumulatively strike action seeing a quarter of a million procedures postponed, which was the last set of strikes. will this be as bad or worse? it last set of strikes. will this be as bad or worse?— last set of strikes. will this be as bad or worse? it will be worse, no question- — bad or worse? it will be worse, no question- not _ bad or worse? it will be worse, no question. not only _ bad or worse? it will be worse, no question. not only is _ bad or worse? it will be worse, no question. not only is the - bad or worse? it will be worse, no question. not only is the action i question. not only is the action longer, four days, but it is between
junior doctors. and everybody realises that particularly the last few years have been incredibly tough for all our nhs staff. but clearly, there is a dispute here, and it is important, the first step, getting people around the table to have those talks, to come to a resolution. l those talks, to come to a resolution.— those talks, to come to a resolution. , ., ., .,~ resolution. i 'ust want to make absolutely — resolution. i just want to make absolutely clear, _ resolution. i just want to make absolutely clear, because - resolution. i just want to make absolutely clear, because they| resolution. i just want to make - absolutely clear, because they will be lots of people watching who have procedures booked next week, and may have been cancelled beforehand, what is your advice to those people, people who would be hoping that they would have been going to hospital this week? ~ ., ., ., this week? well, we have asked local hositals this week? well, we have asked local hos - itals to this week? well, we have asked local hospitals to contact _ this week? well, we have asked local hospitals to contact patients - this week? well, we have asked local hospitals to contact patients in - hospitals to contact patients in advance, ifappointments hospitals to contact patients in advance, if appointments need to be rescheduled. we have also asked hospitals to reschedule those appointments as quickly as possible. so if you have not been contacted, if you have not heard, then do assume that your appointment is going to go ahead, and turn up. but as i have said throughout, well over 175,000 appointments are likely to be rescheduled, more than a few
services? , ., , ., , or will be inevitably be gaps in the services? , ., , services? the priority, as i said, is to keep _ services? the priority, as i said, is to keep patients _ services? the priority, as i said, is to keep patients safe. - is to keep patients safe. consultants will be stepping into the roles that some of the junior doctors would usually have, in order to keep those services going and patients safe. of course, that means other things will not get done. we are likely to see a large number of rescheduled appointments and procedures, a few weeks ago we had three days of action, 175,000 appointments rescheduled. i think we are likely to see many more than about this time around.— are likely to see many more than about this time around. more than 175,000, about this time around. more than 175,000. you — about this time around. more than 175,000, you think, _ about this time around. more than 175,000, you think, will— about this time around. more than 175,000, you think, will have - about this time around. more than 175,000, you think, will have to i about this time around. more than | 175,000, you think, will have to be rescheduled. and presumably there is still some backlog from the last strike? , ., , ., , strike? yes. clearly we are still rescheduling — strike? yes. clearly we are still rescheduling appointments - strike? yes. clearly we are still| rescheduling appointments from strike? yes. clearly we are still- rescheduling appointments from the last strike. the message to the public is clear. hospitals will contact you if your appointment is being rescheduled, so if you have not heard from them, turn up as normal, because some services will be running. but yes, they will be a backlog. and it is also important to the public remember those emergency
andrew hibbard makes up an important part of the team, in fact, he and his colleagues make up around the half of the workforce of the doctors in the nhs. the last three day strike resulted in 175,000 appointments and procedures being cancelled. next tuesday's strike happens after the long easter bank holiday weekend when the nhs always struggles to catch up, so therefore they walk out ofjunior doctors working both planned and emergency care will affect the nhs's skeleton star, maamau the record three bank holidays, including the coronation. when you add the extra demand for tourism that is the perfect storm for the doctor in charge of the nhs in the region. we for the doctor in charge of the nhs in the region-— for the doctor in charge of the nhs in the region. we are really worried as we always _ in the region. we are really worried as we always are _ in the region. we are really worried as we always are as _ in the region. we are really worried as we always are as we _ in the region. we are really worried as we always are as we approached | as we always are as we approached easter that it is going to be busy, but with the combination of the junior doctor industrial action
servants way too little in $285,000 is a lot of money. a lot of people in this country would love to make $285,000. but you know, ceo media executives, people on television make a lot more than that, and like we want our best and brightest to be in these jobs. why not pay them millions of dollars to do that? you know, i think they're often is an issue where the more you make, the more you want to make. i don't think that we start with public school teachers who are risking their lives every day now, maybe, but if you look at it this way, right now you're taking like talented, ambitious people. and you're saying here make $175,000 and like i'm talking about people who work in the white house. people work. it's pretty core people who work in congress and what you're doing. basically, you're saying, like, oh, you see all these wealthy connected people. people that could give you money. why don't you sell access to them so you can have a nice retirement vacation. people do not become supreme court justices for the money, and i think there's still
risking their lives every day now, maybe, but if you look at it this way, right now you're taking like talented, ambitious people. and you're saying here make $175,000 and like i'm i'm talking about people who work in the white house. people work. it's pretty core people who work in congress and what you're doing. basically, you're saying, like, oh, you see all these wealthy connected people that could give you money. why don't you sell access to them so you can have a nice retirement vacation. people do not become supreme court justices for the money. and i think there's still a lot of people want to be supreme court justices. i don't think you need to worry about apologize for anything. he did gross, but i just think it's like $300,000 for someone. we want. a million dollars. you still can't go on a super yacht in indonesia. but i also think that ultimately the issue here is even if there is an impropriety, which i actually think there is, but in my opinion, but the you know, the supreme court is as unpopular as it has ever been, since they have been polling the supreme court this isn't neto. people think of it as a k a lot of
and this isn'tjust hospitals, its mental health, community services. although trusts are absolutely prioritising patient safety, the challenge particularly given the large number of nhs staff that will be on leave, given that they need family time, to take a well—deserved break after one of the toughest winter is the nhs has had, means that staff will be stretched thinly in terms of supporting the work that junior doctors otherwise would have done. and of coursejunior doctors are a vital part of the nhs workforce, accounting for around half of doctors. last time we saw thejunior half of doctors. last time we saw the junior doctors action, we saw 175,000 patient appointments postponed. this time round with it being four days, after a bank holiday, we expect that to be even greater. holiday, we expect that to be even creater. ., , ., , greater. ok, the easter holidays, we heard concerned _ greater. ok, the easter holidays, we heard concerned the _ greater. ok, the easter holidays, we heard concerned the pupil— greater. ok, the easter holidays, we heard concerned the pupil out - greater. ok, the easter holidays, we heard concerned the pupil out and i heard concerned the pupil out and
local club or at my school, whatever, will yeah. definitely, i would say, in that case i'm happy. definitely, iwould say, in that case i'm happy.- definitely, iwould say, in that case i'm happy. and if you are to win. _ that case i'm happy. and if you are to win, what _ that case i'm happy. and if you are to win, what will— that case i'm happy. and if you are to win, what will the - are to win, what will the reaction be like in france? very special. so they are getting a big screen to bring the rowing clubs so that people can watch. so all the kids, and the older people are going to watch this race live on the 26th. my parents are going to be there. many friends are going to be watching online as well. so i think if i win, that would be very special. em would be very special. an asteroid _ would be very special. an asteroid large enough to destroy a city has passed safely between earth and the moon as protected by scientists. the object estimated to be between 40 and 70 metres in diameterflew estimated to be between 40 and 70 metres in diameter flew past the earth at a distance of 175,000 km, described by scientists very close. millions around the world have been switching off their lights to