pushmyjenson

Medical student here. One issue is that - under the current contract - doctors' pay is simply comparable to other professions, which is good value considering doctors spend significantly longer at university, work much more unsocial shifts and arguably have more responsibility. There is not a lot to be said for reducing pay below what similarly qualified peers make.

Secondly, and more importantly. Imagine you have kids, a mortgage, financial responsibilities (you probably do). Imagine you budgeted around a modest but previously stable salary. Now imagine someone is imposing a cut of that salary of up to 30-40%, meaning you can no longer afford the house you live in. Is that greed?

I don't think if the govt threatened to impose such a pay cut on any other profession there would be amy question about them going on strike. Firefighters went on strike years ago over not getting a raise and had plenty of support. It is to doctors' credit that their strikes are also concerned with patient safety and workforce morale. I believe that these "greedy doctor" headlines are Tory manipulations of the media villainising staff on the ground to distract the public from their failures in running the NHS.

Post-coital antibiotics (1 pill after sex) are a recognised and valid treatment for recurrent post-coital UTIs. I'll never get over the arrogance of some people on reddit, he's an actual doctor that specialises in urological disease and you're on questioning him in that stupid condescending tone. Jesus

Doctors, nurses, and other frontline care and emergency staff are in a difficult position as striking has such an adverse impact on the patients we seek to care for. However, that does not mean that they should not have the right to strike in times of unfair treatment just like any other profession would.

The BMA (doctors' union) made every effort to avoid striking: well over a year of negotiation on the contract before considering strike action, cancellation of the first proposed strike in the lead up to Christmas, involvement with Acas (conflict resolution service) in an attempt to avoid this strike, and all along the government has refused to make any compromises. Doctors feel that they have been backed into a corner and this is their only recourse.

Over 98% of doctors supported this strike in the BMA ballot, that should serve as an indication of the strength of feeling within their ranks.

Dr Oliva,

Excellent AMA, thank you very much! As a medical student considering opthalmology, I was wondering what first attracted you to the field. I've always thought being able to restore and protect sight (possibly the most valuable of senses) would be extremely rewarding. How did you first realise your "calling" to the field?

Melatonin definitely does cross the blood brain barrier. The evidence on whether or not it helps with sleep (especially with long term use) is mixed but I do know some people find it useful.