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London – Some junior doctors at a United Kingdom (UK) hospital have gone on strike for four day because they feel they are underpaid. The strike took place on Wednesday, prompting warnings from health officials of major disruption to patients and health services.
The Young Doctors Committee of the British Medical Association (BMA) said that medics have seen their pay cut by 26 percent in real terms in the past 15 years, as salaries have not kept pace with soaring inflation.
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They want salaries restored to what they were in 2008-2009, but the government says that is too expensive.
This is the latest strike in the government-funded National Health Service (NHS), which has seen nurses and other medical staff picket or stand guard for higher pay.
BMA warned that despite being open to further talks, doctors will go on further strikes in the coming months if the government sticks to its stance on undervalued doctors' pay.
On Tuesday, June 14, 2023, NHS England's national medical director, Stephen Powis, warned that most health services would be affected, in the aftermath of the doctors' strike
"It (the strike) will have a major impact on routine patient care and waiting lists, as procedures can take time to reorganize with multiple teams involved," he said.
"Priority will be given to emergency, urgent and critical care," Powis said.
