Junior doctors

[SueEllen]

Then you get loads of people going to A&E who aren't having an emergency and weren't involved in an accident.

Going to a hospital is an ordeal and a huge time-sink, not exactly a best solution. I see no good reasons the doctor shouldn't run 7 days a week, or at least Mon-Sat. Saturday is a working day now anyway.

My current GPs practice is a multi-surgery practice. They have the contract in my area to open on Saturdays mornings.

They initially opened all day Saturdays but then reduced the hours as people weren't coming in. In summer the hours are reduced even more as even less people turn up.

In other words if there is a demand they will open. They did find that the demand was during the week so one of the larger surgeries is open between 7.30am to 9pm Monday to Friday. On occasions where the demand is too high they will give you an appointment at one of the other surgeries if there is one available and you say you can get there.

However down the road is an A&E. Depending on how serious your condition is, is how long you have to wait. So if you have cardiac disease and turn up with symptoms you get seen immediately. There as if you turn up with a cold you will be waiting 4 hours.

[Platypus]

Aren't people forgetting that until 2004, GPs did provide out of hours care. It was Bliar who let them opt out with a new contract.

[OnceStonedRose]

Aren't people forgetting that until 2004, GPs did provide out of hours care. It was Bliar who let them opt out with a new contract.

Everything they have done to the nhs in the last 25 years has been geared towards a sell off to Richard Branson and the rest of the hoi polloy. Its the same with everything, get the public to crowdfund getting it up and running, then sell it off and make those who made it possible pay through the nose for the privelidge of seeing it. Railways anyone? Anyone remember a british gas that we paid for? Royal mail ring any bells? Disgraceful carpet bagging of public property syphoned off into the cosy elite coffers.

The sooner chairman Jez is in power taking it all back by force the better. Amen.

[SueEllen]

The sooner chairman Jez is in power taking it all back by force the better. Amen.

What planet are you on?

The fact that Labour is in a mess means the Tories can get away with this. If Labour had an effective leader the Tories wouldn't try this on.

[OnceStonedRose]

What planet are you on?

The fact that Labour is in a mess means the Tories can get away with this. If Labour had an effective leader the Tories wouldn't try this on.

Don't be daft, Noo Labour were at it before them, you telling me Bliar wasn't an "effective leader"?

[NickFitz]

My current GPs practice is a multi-surgery practice. They have the contract in my area to open on Saturdays mornings.

They initially opened all day Saturdays but then reduced the hours as people weren't coming in. In summer the hours are reduced even more as even less people turn up.

In other words if there is a demand they will open. They did find that the demand was during the week so one of the larger surgeries is open between 7.30am to 9pm Monday to Friday. On occasions where the demand is too high they will give you an appointment at one of the other surgeries if there is one available and you say you can get there.

However down the road is an A&E. Depending on how serious your condition is, is how long you have to wait. So if you have cardiac disease and turn up with symptoms you get seen immediately. There as if you turn up with a cold you will be waiting 4 hours.

My GP surgery, in partnership with others across the city, provides weekend surgeries at a bigger place across town - not as convenient as having them next door, but good enough if I should ever feel an urgent need to see my GP, rather than waiting the three or four days it takes to get an appointment.

And the A&E department is fronted by the Urgent Care Centre. Unless you're brought in on a stretcher, you get triaged there. All the minor stuff can then be dealt with in as long as it takes, while anybody with serious problems gets shunted down the corridor to A&E straight away.

When I went to the UCC at my GP's behest the other day with possible heart issues, I was called in within two minutes of arriving for an ECG, then referred to the cardiology diagnostic unit within fifteen minutes even though there was nothing notably wrong on the ECG.

I suspect much of the whining one sees about the state of NHS services comes from people who hardly ever use them and, when they do, don't have much wrong with them.

[darmstadt]

I want Doogie Howser MD!

Feck me, he's 42 now. I feel

And he bats for the other side...

[DodgyAgent]

personally I wish them all the best, and applaud their resolve to stand up for their existing employment terms - they are a very committed group who don't deserve to be treated like this, and I don't see why anything needs messing with, junior docs already work weekends.

They are human being just like the rest of us. like us they are making a living for themselves and their families. They are behaving like normal people behave. They may have an edge in terms of commitment to what they do to help others but by going on strike they have just shown as they are ordinary people looking after themselves.

So spare us the cr*p about them being some sort o deserving martyrs. They are no such thing.

[Lost It]

Hunt is making the contract non negotiable.

His Nuke option.

So the choices are:

We will now have full on strikes including the A&E departments.

Lots of "JD's" will pack in and go abroad.

JD's will stop doing any over time at all. They can do that. Work Time directive says so.

They can refuse to accept the contract and be "sacked".

They can all become "Agency Doctors". Now wouldn't that be a thing?

Or they can simply accept what Hunt has done to them. I can't see this scenario being the one that happens.

Hunt has achieved his aim.

Lets wait and see eh?

[SueEllen]

I suspect much of the whining one sees about the state of NHS services comes from people who hardly ever use them and, when they do, don't have much wrong with them.

Agreed.

I still remember a guy I was working alongside who had a cold. I asked him his symptoms told him it was a cold and told him what to do including telling him to go to a pharmacy. Next morning he was late in because he had gone to A&E early and had to wait 4 hours to be told he had a cold.....