Leicester Doctors Forced into Strike Action

Picket lines took place at all three main hospitals in Leicester, as well as a ‘meet the doctors’ event in the city centre. Doctors were keen to explain their stand to the public. Picket lines on the main roads got constant beeps of support from passing vehicles.

As one Doctor explained:

“Its not about us wanting more money, its about defending the NHS. Of course we work weekends and we support improving the health service, including emergency provision at weekends. But the government do want to cut Doctors pay. If not, why all the talk of ‘pay protection’? Resources are already short, and if the government want to put more doctor time into weekends for elective surgery for example, it will come from during the week. Unless you employ more doctors the service will become more stretched. On the other hand they are also removing protection against Doctors working excessive hours.

“What the government want is to privatise the NHS. This is part of preparing for that. I don’t want to have to check people’s bank cards before we care for them.”

In Leicester the failure of privatisation has been highlighted by the early ditching of the contract Interserve have for cleaning and catering. Because of cuts to staff levels with a reliance of low paid and insecure staff the service provided by this company has been so bad it has had to be taken off them.

Blood was left on ward floors, cleaning was totally unacceptable. Patients were left without food, and sometimes given meals past their use by date.

Its good these services are coming back in-house, but we need to be vigilant because the management may try to privatise them again at the first opportunity.

Socialist Students in Leicester have been supporting the Doctors too. They held a very successful meeting at Leicester university two days before the latest strike in support of the NHS. Jeanna Strutinsky-Mason, a junior Doctor, explained their case alongside Socialist Party member Matt Whale, a student Nurse.