Junior doctors in the United Kingdom have begun their first 48-hour strike as part of their ongoing protests over wages and working conditions.
Doctors staged the strike at 8.00 a.m. on Wednesday for the longest walkout in NHS history. Only emergency care has been left in place at NHS hospitals.
The protesters’ dispute over pay, working hours, and patient safety has sparked three walkouts since January.
They are also outraged over the government’s proposed new contract which foresees pay cuts and longer working hours. The doctors say such conditions will lead to more mistakes in their care for patients.
Under the current proposals, trainees would lose pay boosts they receive for working evenings and Saturdays, which will be treated as regular hours.
A recent poll by Ipsos MORI found that support for the strike was still strong, at 65 per cent, with 17 against the stoppage, down 22 percent from the last time, British media reported.
The National Health…