Consultants were supportive of previous strikes, but these feel futile. The goodwill has gone and we fear for patient safetyIt is hard to believe that, yet again, we are going into industrial action by our resident (formerly junior) doctors. It has only been a year since the last round of strikes and the length of this one – five days at two weeks’ notice over the summer when people are away – is designed to send a message.Consultants were, by and large, supportive of the previous rounds of strikes. There is a recognition our residents have it harder than we did. There is more financial hardship than there used to be, their salaries don’t go as far as ours did when we were training, and they have amassed more student debt. In addition, they have to pay many thousands of pounds in General Medical Council registration and compulsory conference and examination fees that are nowhere near covered by their shrinking study budgets – this always seemed outrageous while I was training too. Consequently, most consultants were pleased when residents received their 22% pay award last year. It felt like a step in the right direction. Continue reading...