Hunt insists he will impose new contract on NHS doctors

[Northerner]

Jeremy Hunt has inflamed the dispute with junior doctors by insisting “the matter is closed” and he will impose the new contract on them, despite unprecedented protests by medics.
The health secretary also insisted that history would judge him right to force new terms and conditions on England’s 45,000 junior doctors, despite the wave of concern across the NHS and medical profession that his move has triggered.

“The matter is closed. We have been trying to discuss this now for three years, and I think the wrong thing to do in the face of unreasonable behaviour is to say, ‘Well, in that case, we’re going to back down,’” the Health Service Journal (HSJ) reported him as saying.

His comments emerged [see footnote] as medics below the level of consultant took part in the second day of their fourth strike against the new contract, which is scheduled to come into force in August. Hospitals said that 42.5% of junior doctors had turned up for work on Thursday, a lower number than the 46% who did so on Tuesday.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...ts-he-will-impose-new-contract-on-nhs-doctors

Digging himself deeper into his hole

"he was “more in tune with doctors” than the British Medical Association (BMA), their union, “because I really care about the things that doctors care about – the safety of patients”.- how can he possibly say this? 😱

 

[Diabeticliberty]

Jeremy Hunt will not win this. The opinions I have seen voiced by doctors have all being delivered in a reasoned and measured fashion. Jeremy Hunt can dig his heels in all he likes but I personally feel that he has chosen the wrong body to make a point of and show just how tough he can be. I heard a junior doctor being interview on the radio on Wednesday. She absolutely insisted that this is not about money but about the safety of her patients. I am sorry but I am more likely to believe her than Jeremy Hunt. Actually I would believe her goldfish before I believed My Hunt. It sounds a little bit bonkers to state this as I have never met the man personally but I just find him irritating in the extreme. I also believe that the majority of the public are standing behind the doctors. I for one certainly am.

 

[KookyCat]

Oh dear, this isn't going to end well, not well at all!

 

[trophywench]

You are SO wrong Kooky! It will end brilliantly because the NHS will in future only be able to supply the basics, and we will have to pay through the nose for anything else. The latter will be thrown out to tender, and all the Gov's mates in big business will make SHEDLOADS of money out of it!

How can that be BAD?

Poor (for whatever reason) people and eg disabled in any way so that includes you and I - will just die - so that means we can't be a drain on the Gov's resources.

You ARE defo being terribly short sighted, aren't you?

 

[KookyCat]

Ah I see, how could I have missed that obvious advantage, I'm toddling off now to knit myself an insulin pen (sugar water makes a great stiffener) and whittle some needles out of a piece of wood from my windowsill. Best to hone these skills now I feel. I'm also growing spare organs in my shed out of a generic culture in my butter dish, better safe than sorry. I've put my specs on now and distance vision has improved considerably. Anyone know the optimum temperature for culturing bacteria? That's bound to come in handy too.

 

[trophywench]

Fortunately my husband used to work with stainless steel, so he collected the swarf to craft into needles and lancets for me Kooky. And years ago our son-in-law worked at Midland Meat Packers so through his connection there and theirs with the abattoirs, we get a regular supply of animal pancreases to put through the blender and extract the insulin from.

I believe the airing cupboard is usually about the right temperature for cultures, it works for wine, so I'm told anyway. We don't have one though so I can't offer to help - we have a Combi boiler!

 

[KookyCat]

Damn, I knew there was a reason I wanted to keep that airing cupboard, just had a combi put in 12 months ago. I've got a steamer though maybe that'll do it. If not I'll have to construct a lab in my shed, I've got loads of cardboard and a cauldron, course I'll have to move the bay tree out of said cauldron but needs must I suppose.