NHS workers need better working conditions and higher wages as young doctors continue their four-day strike, doctors say.
Simple improvements, like a 24-hour dining facility and quiet areas to relax and unwind between transfers, will make the difference, they say.
Dr Nick Scriven, a Yorkshire-based consultant and former president of the Emergency Medicine Society, said the improved facilities would make a “huge difference in job satisfaction” for all NHS staff.
“Too many hospitals close canteens at night, and in some cases for the entire weekend, leaving only one vending machine. If I worked at night, they would hug me.
The consultant, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted how he once, while on duty, was forced to lie down on his office desk to rest because there was no other suitable place.
He said he needed to “remain very still, as any movement would trigger the automatic lights.”
“In the end, it was more comfortable to rest on the carpet under the office desk.”
Trainee doctors in England went on strike after a wage dispute with the government. Shift doctors say working conditions should also be revised to improve the well-being of all staff.
A consultant based in north London said that this week on the night shift, he “reiterated how some very simple things can affect the morale and well-being of young doctors.”
“This is priceless and reflects what a local hospital or foundation can do to support juniors.”
He said it’s important to have quiet places for doctors to rest and places to order hot meals so that colleagues don’t have to rely on vending machines. from day to night to day.”
“Little things that may seem insignificant, but they give you the push to get on with work and the rest of your shift,” he said.
“After a full night shift, a quiet drive home is especially important. I remember back in 2008 having to pull my car into a parking lot between Eastbourne and Brighton after a night shift in the emergency room when I almost fell asleep at the wheel.”
On the third day of the strike, Home Secretary Chris Philp said the young doctors should put off work so the government could consider starting talks with the help of the Acas recruiting agency.
The British Medical Association, which represents young doctors, said using Acas was the only way to achieve a successful outcome after the government failed to make a “credible offer”.
Trainee doctors initially demanded a 35 percent pay increase, which the government rejected as unreasonable and unaffordable.
The Department of Health and Welfare said: “We have been in contact with Acas throughout this dispute and remain open to exploring whether they can play a role in helping us achieve our desired outcome: end strikes that compromise patient safety.
“But our stance remains that the residents’ council should significantly cut their request for a 35 percent pay rise and put it on hold to start formal negotiations, and that’s not going to change.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.