{"id":36547,"date":"2016-04-25T13:57:48","date_gmt":"2016-04-25T12:57:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/?p=36547"},"modified":"2016-04-27T16:45:00","modified_gmt":"2016-04-27T15:45:00","slug":"junior-doctors-strike-26-27-april-2016-live-blog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2016\/04\/25\/junior-doctors-strike-26-27-april-2016-live-blog\/","title":{"rendered":"Junior doctors&#8217; strike 26 &#8211; 27 April 2016: Live blog"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-36549\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2016\/04\/PA-24276019-1-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Demotix 28\/09\/2015\" width=\"133\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2016\/04\/PA-24276019-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2016\/04\/PA-24276019-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2016\/04\/PA-24276019-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2016\/04\/PA-24276019-1-300x450.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 133px) 100vw, 133px\" \/><em>This week, junior doctors in England will be undertaking\u00a0a full withdrawal of labour between the hours of 8am and 5pm on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 April, as the ongoing industrial dispute between the BMA and the government shows no sign of ending peacefully.\u00a0This latest action marks an escalation from previous strikes this year as junior doctors\u00a0will not be providing emergency cover. It is also a historic moment; the first time an all\u00a0out strike\u00a0has been called by junior doctors in the history of the NHS. \u00a0If you have any news, pictures, thoughts, or tweets to offer us for the blog, please send them to Gareth Iacobucci at <a href=\"mailto:giacobucci@bmj.com\">giacobucci@bmj.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Wednesday\u00a027th\u00a0April<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>16.44 &#8211; With\u00a0the\u00a0strike drawing to a close, NHS England has said\u00a0that 78% of junior doctors who were expected to be working did not report for duty today.<\/p>\n<p>These estimated figures &#8211; which\u00a0<span style=\"color: #242424;background: white\">include other forms of absence such as sickness &#8211;\u00a0<\/span>were the same as those given for yesterday\u2019s strike action.<\/p>\n<p>Anne Rainsberry, national incident director for NHS England, said, <em>\u201cWe\u2019re not going to pretend the last two days have been easy but the NHS has remained open to business for patients. The health service has coped admirably to date thanks to extensive planning and the exhaustive efforts of other staff. However the strike has undoubtedly increased pressure on a service already facing increasing demand and has led to the highly regrettable cancellation of needed care for well over 100,000 patients.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>16.32 &#8211; A huge turnout in Sheffield for this junior doctors rally.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Sheffield junior docs rally in the city centre. Great turnout and support from the public. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/FklJduUIlp\">pic.twitter.com\/FklJduUIlp<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; saira ghafur (@sairaghafur) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sairaghafur\/status\/725344834639286274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>16.07 &#8211; Once again, a few famous faces appeared\u00a0at picket lines today to support junior doctors.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/DrSJMG\/status\/725290282401579008<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Thank you <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sueperkins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@sueperkins<\/a> for your fabulous support on the picket <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RoyalFreeNHS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RoyalFreeNHS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/timetotalkjeremy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#timetotalkjeremy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/OszQgLsi4s\">pic.twitter.com\/OszQgLsi4s<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Alexandra Barry (@alexmaybarry) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/alexmaybarry\/status\/725294893686468608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>15.56 &#8211; &#8220;<em>I retain my hope, possibly even my expectation, that at some point the government is going to realise that it cannot continue like this.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The BMJ&#8217;s<\/em> Abi Rimmer has spoken to the BMA council chair Mark Porter about life after the dispute.<\/p>\n<p>You can read the full interview <a href=\"http:\/\/careers.bmj.com\/careers\/advice\/Mark_Porter_interview%3A_the_government_will_realise_its_mistake\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>15.34 &#8211; <em>The Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0columnist and executive editor James Kirkup has not been shy in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2016\/03\/25\/doctors-are-repeating-the-mistakes-of-the-miners-strike\/\">criticising <em>The BMA<\/em> and junior doctors<\/a>\u00a0during the course of the\u00a0strike.<\/p>\n<p>This afternoon, he has given junior doctors a right of reply and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2016\/04\/27\/are-junior-doctors-right-to-go-on-strike-against-jeremy-hunts-ne\/\">answered their questions directly<\/a> via a webchat. You may not agree with all of his points, but there is some good discussion here.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>15.11 &#8211; This picture below shows\u00a0Jane Dacre, president of the Royal College Physicians, joining picketers earlier today at Whittington Hospital in north London.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/Vishal_VRaman\/status\/725230642569596928<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>14.59 &#8211; *New Jeremy Hunt mashup alert*<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Cassetteboy vs Jeremy Hunt\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uK7DRJx9nbU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>14.37 &#8211; Interesting political story <a href=\"http:\/\/www.newhamrecorder.co.uk\/news\/politics\/east_ham_conservative_defects_to_labour_over_junior_doctors_dispute_1_4444149\">here<\/a> from the Newham Recorder in East London, which reports that the deputy chairman of the local Conservative association has defected to Labour over the government\u2019s handling of the junior doctors\u2019 strike.<\/p>\n<p>Adam Nowacki, whose wife is a junior doctor, is said to have viewed\u00a0the\u00a0health secretary&#8217;s imposition of a new contract on doctors following recent strike as the \u201cfinal straw\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He is quoted as follows&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThis is about principles for me. My wife is a junior doctor and so are many of my friends. They are being hurt by the government, so I can\u2019t support the party anymore.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThe Tories are supposed to be the party for working people, but they are attacking some of the most hardworking people in the country.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>14.25 &#8211;\u00a0<em>The BMJ<\/em> has just published a fresh collection\u00a0of blogs from doctors offering their contrasting views on this week\u2019s unprecedented strike action.<\/p>\n<p>Duncan Steele,\u00a0a CT2 in cardiothoracic surgery at St George\u2019s hospital in south London, says the clause in the new contract stating that the government is free to change any term or condition at any point was the \u201cmetaphorical straw\u201d that convinced him to strike.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThese proposed changes are untested, unfunded, and unmodelled, and in my opinion incredibly harmful to the care that we will be able to provide patients in years to come,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2016\/04\/27\/duncan-steele-to-strike-or-not-to-strike \/\">he writes. <\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Lizzie Wortley, a paediatric registrar working in Northwest London, writes about the <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2016\/04\/27\/elizabeth-wortley-and-strike-i-did\/\">difficulty she felt in deciding whether to strike<\/a>. (In the end, she did).<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cYesterday I did not cross a picket line. I don\u2019t yet know the figures for how many junior doctors did choose to work, aside from those who were unable to strike, but I would not blame anyone who chose to. I almost did,<\/em>\u201d writes Wortley.<\/p>\n<p>And the former editor of <em>The BMJ<\/em> Richard Smith outlines what he views as the <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2016\/04\/27\/richard-smith-the-deeper-causes-of-the-doctors-strike-a-thought-experiment\/\">deeper causes<\/a> of the doctors\u2019 strike.\u00a0Whilst Smith does not reach a firm conclusion, he says\u2026<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cI remain convinced that the strike is about more than having to work on Saturdays, and the drivers may be a complex amalgam of the work being less satisfying and meaningful and more demanding, juniors being lost in the system, anger at the older generation having taken too much, and fear of what the future might hold.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>12.50 &#8211; Also new on BMJ.com is a piece from correspondent Clare Dyer which examines\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/353\/bmj.i2404\">the top issues worrying junior doctors about the new contract<\/a>, including pay structure,\u00a0working hours, on-call rotas and the right to change terms.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>12.44 &#8211; Yesterday, Thomas\u00a0Cassidy, Marina\u00a0Soltan and Tom Macaulay visited picket lines in London and Birmingham for <em>The BMJ<\/em> to speak to junior doctors.<\/p>\n<p>You can read what those doctors had to say over on our\u00a0<em><a href=\"http:\/\/careers.bmj.com\/careers\/advice\/Junior_doctors%E2%80%99_all-out_strike%3A_voices_from_the_picket_lines\">BMJ Careers<\/a><\/em> site.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>12.01 &#8211; Let&#8217;s not forget the bigger picture here&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">NEWS! Doctor\u2019s strike results in Daleks conquering the universe <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4NR2hLAmh4\">https:\/\/t.co\/4NR2hLAmh4<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/JhuFgltGzv\">pic.twitter.com\/JhuFgltGzv<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NewsThump (@newsthump) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/newsthump\/status\/725236220238925824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>11.51 &#8211; No sign of snow or other unseasonable weather conditions in south west London today.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Garethiacobucci?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@garethiacobucci<\/a> Strikers were enjoying the sun on picket line <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KingstonHospNHS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@KingstonHospNHS<\/a> this am! Lots of supportive toots! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1u9k3geHno\">pic.twitter.com\/1u9k3geHno<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Anne Gulland (@annegulland) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/annegulland\/status\/725275559916388353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>10.59 \u2013\u00a0Yesterday evening, Channel 4 News\u00a0anchor Cathy Newman interviewed the health secretary Jeremy Hunt about the strike and ongoing contract dispute.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.channel4.com\/news\/catch-up\">This clip from the interview<\/a>\u00a0shows Hunt coming under pressure to justify his claims that 500 doctors had already signed up to the new contract.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>10.32 &#8211; Baked goods and letters of support for junior doctors continue to flood in&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Garethiacobucci?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Garethiacobucci<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bmj_latest?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@bmj_latest<\/a> Great support here with lots of cake and letters of support <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5pwtx2r2Cp\">pic.twitter.com\/5pwtx2r2Cp<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Rebecca Davies (@BexiDwyer) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BexiDwyer\/status\/725255612762853376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>10.06 &#8211; The comedian Frankie Boyle has written a wonderfully <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2016\/apr\/27\/jeremy-hunt-doesnt-understand-junior-doctors-book-dismantle-nhs?CMP=share_btn_tw\">acerbic column<\/a> on Jeremy Hunt and the strike for <em>The Guardian<\/em> today.<\/p>\n<p>He begins with this gambit..<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cOne of the worst things for doctors must be that, after seven years of study and then another decade of continuing professional exams, patients come in telling them they\u2019re wrong after spending 20 minutes on Google. So imagine how doctors must feel about Jeremy Hunt<\/em><em>\u00a0who hasn\u2019t even had the decency to go on the internet.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>09.55 &#8211; The BBC\u2019s Newsnight programme also covered the strike yesterday evening (scroll to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/iplayer\/episode\/b078nj66\/newsnight-26042016\">30.11 on this video<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Out on the picket line and on a march over Westminster Bridge, Newsnight\u00a0journalist Chris Cook mused on the BMA&#8217;s strategy.<\/p>\n<p>Cook said,<em> &#8220;The BMA does not have a clear game plan for victory but by extending this dispute they hope it will have a few effects &#8211; there&#8217;s a chance that something might just come up, they might get a new health secretary or prime minister who might be prepared to compromise a bit more. Secondly, with protests like this they can pile pressure on the government so they might change their minds about the contract imposition, Finally they point out that&#8217;s its very difficult to do other things while this dispute is going on such as negotiate the consultants contract.&#8221; <\/em><\/p>\n<p>In an oddly staged stand-up interview between Newsnight journalist James O&#8217;Brien and Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary was not budging an inch.<\/p>\n<p>Hunt said,<em>&#8220;In order to roster more staff on at the weekend we need to bring down premium rates of pay. It is still more generous than anywhere else in the public sector, more than nurses, police officers, and fire officers. It&#8217;s a very fair package. The BMA is not prepared to discuss this in a reasonable way.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>09.43 &#8211; Tom Macaulay has provided\u00a0this helpful\u00a0roundup of how\u00a0yesterday&#8217;s action was covered by local news outlets and those on the picket lines&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>In an interview with\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.getwestlondon.co.uk\/news\/west-london-news\/junior-doctors-strike-gp-warns-11242573?utm_source=twitterfeed&amp;utm_medium=twitter\">getwestlondon<\/a>, Teddington\u00a0GP Nick Grundy warned that imposing controversial new contracts on junior doctors would leave hospitals unable to safely operate.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>In Leeds, more than 2,300 appointments were estimated to have been cancelled at Leeds General Infirmary <a href=\"http:\/\/ltjournalism.com\/5907-2\/\">according to the Leeds Trinity newsroom<\/a>.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>In the Midlands, University Hospitals of North Midlands said it cancelled\u00a0792 out-patient appointments, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust cancelled 1,172 appointments and Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust re-arranged 943 appointments, according to\u00a0the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expressandstar.com\/news\/2016\/04\/26\/junior-doctors-strike-hundreds-of-operations-and-appointments-cancelled-in-first-all-out-protest\/new-cross-8-sl-26\/\">Express &amp; Star<\/a>.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Outside the Bristol Heart Institute, protests continued despite the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bbcrb\/status\/724986260981309440\">surprise arrival of snowfall.<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>And in Manchester, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EducationMcr\/status\/724957621120278532\">more than 2,000 people<\/a> were reported to have taken part in the march to protest against the government&#8217;s plans.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>&#8212;<\/div>\n<p>09.34 &#8211; Junior doctors across England have returned to the picket lines this morning as the second day of the all-out strike gets underway.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Already a strong showing on the picket line at Gloucester Hospital! Keep it up! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheBMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheBMA<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/kYdCKZdIZd\">pic.twitter.com\/kYdCKZdIZd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; BMA Severn DC (@BMASevernJDC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BMASevernJDC\/status\/725236995551797249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Day two on the picket line at St Thomas&#39; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@LBC<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8svuy1zbut\">pic.twitter.com\/8svuy1zbut<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Charlotte Wright (@charlotte_bbc) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/charlotte_bbc\/status\/725240867787837448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Fantastic to join <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheBMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheBMA<\/a> picket line at John Radcliffe Oxford <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/juniorcontract?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#juniorcontract<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Fn8YMShxWw\">pic.twitter.com\/Fn8YMShxWw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Henry Fowler (@RedHen90) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RedHen90\/status\/725237429792313344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tuesday 26th\u00a0April<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>16.59 &#8211; The BMA has also issued a statement as today&#8217;s action by junior doctors draws to a close.<\/p>\n<p>Johann Malawana, BMA junior doctors committee chair, said&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThe overwhelming turnout at almost 150 picket lines across England today shows the strength of feeling amongst junior doctors against the government\u2019s plans. Tens of thousands protested against a contract they believe is unfair and damaging to patient care in the long term.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cFigures indicate that more or less all of those eligible to take action today did so, and are\u00a0in line with the proportion of junior doctors who are members of the BMA.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cJunior doctors deeply regret the disruption to patients and are taking this action as a last resort and with a heavy heart, but the government\u2019s refusal to negotiate has left them with no option but to take short term action to protect the NHS in the long term.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cIt is a testament to the hard work and dedication of other doctors and NHS staff that emergency services continued to be provided today.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cWe continue to call on the government to get back around the table and to listen to the concerns of doctors, which are about much more than pay. The health secretary himself has admitted that are serious outstanding concerns around excessive working hours, training, recruitment and retention and the impact these have on the ability of the NHS to deliver a seven-day service.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cIt is not too late for the government to put patients first, and choose negotiation over imposition.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>16.44 &#8211; NHS England has issued an update on the estimated\u00a0number of doctors taking part in action.<\/p>\n<p>It said&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><em>In the period of industrial action on 26 April 2016 (which includes the full withdrawal of emergency cover by junior doctors), the earliest available data, reported as at 0900hrs, indicates that 78% (21,608) of junior doctors who were expected to be working have not reported for duty today \u2013 this includes other forms of absence not just industrial action such as sickness.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Further NHS analysis of the last industrial action \u2013 covering the period 6 to 8 April 2016\u00a0 (when emergency cover was provided)\u00a0 \u2013 shows that on each day of the last strike 14,600 junior doctors were not at work with approximately 12,800 (88%) actually on strike, with the remainder absent for other reasons such sickness.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>NHS England said the extra challenges caused by the escalation of the action had led to significantly more postponed elective operations during this strike.<\/p>\n<p>It added&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><em>Last week trusts said that they expect there will be 12,711 postponed elective operations over the period of 18 April to 2 May \u2013 4187 relating to inpatient cases and 8,524 day cases.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>They have also reported that there have been 112,856 postponed outpatient appointments over the same period.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Commenting on the figures, Anne Rainsberry, national incident director for NHS England, said&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThe NHS exists to help the sick and people in need and we\u2019d like to sincerely apologise to the more than a hundred thousand people facing disruption during this strike alone, as well as the thousands more affected over the last few months.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThis is an unprecedented situation and staff across the NHS have made herculean efforts to ensure continued safe services for patients, which is always our top priority. However the escalation of this action does bring heightened risk and we are continuing to vigilantly monitor the picture across the whole of the country.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThe NHS is open for business but in some places may be under specific pressure. We ask the public to use it wisely in this very challenging time as some services may change and some may be busier than usual\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>16.40 &#8211; The\u00a0Government has abused its power as sole employer of junior doctors during this dispute. This is the view of <em>The BMA&#8217;s<\/em> chairman of council Mark Porter, who was interviewed by\u00a0<em>The BMJ&#8217;s<\/em> reporter Abi Rimmer on the eve of today&#8217;s strike. You can read more\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/353\/bmj.i2382\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>16.20 &#8211; The BBC&#8217;s health editor Hugh Pym has just tweeted this information from NHS England regarding today&#8217;s turnout&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">NHS Eng says 78pc of junior doctors expected to work did not come in today &#8211; other 22pc presumably included non BMA members<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Hugh Pym (@BBCHughPym) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BBCHughPym\/status\/724978140129452032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>15.39 &#8211; If you&#8217;re after a sardonic take on today&#8217;s proceedings then the excellent\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.networks.nhs.uk\/editors-blog\/mr-hunt2019s-seven-day-diary\">Mr Hunt\u2019s seven-day diary<\/a>\u00a0from NHS Networks editor\u00a0Julian Patterson should be your first port of call.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>15.16 &#8211; John Underwood, a patient who is suffering from what he describes as &#8220;an\u00a0aggressive form of lymphoma,&#8221; has written this <a href=\"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/john-underwood\/junior-doctors-strike-patients-know-strike-is-moral_b_9777466.html?utm_hp_ref=uk&amp;ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000067\">powerful piece<\/a> in support of junior doctors for <em>The Huffington Post<\/em>. Underwood&#8217;s first hand account of being treated in an NHS hospital is\u00a0well worth reading as an example of how much the health service and its staff\u00a0are valued by those who depend on it.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>14.40 &#8211; JDC chair Johann Malawana has written <a href=\"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/johann-malawana\/junior-doctor-strike_b_9772170.html\">a blog<\/a> for <em>The Huffington Post<\/em> on today&#8217;s strike action.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;<em>A generation of junior doctors is desperate here. Striking is an act of desperation,<\/em>&#8221; he writes.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>14.17 &#8211; Some exemplary\u00a0satirical baking here.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/AmieB3\/status\/724908549273440256<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>14.05 &#8211; Nice message of support for juniors\u00a0here from the actor Ralf Little. What do we think the &#8220;unrelated meeting&#8221; at Downing Street was about then..?<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/RalfLittle\/status\/724942277290905602<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>13.55 &#8211; A&amp;E\u00a0units across England have been &#8220;quieter than usual&#8221; this morning, <em>The Guardia<\/em>n <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2016\/apr\/26\/a-and-es-across-england-quiet-as-striking-junior-doctors-picket-hospitals\">reports.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The newspaper\u00a0suggests that most services looked to be running smoothly, with no hospitals reporting incidents or undue pressures in light of\u00a0the strike by junior doctors.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>13.19 &#8211;\u00a0Taryn Youngstein, a junior doctor in London, has written a blog<em>\u00a0<\/em>for The BMJ that articulates the conflicting feelings of many junior doctors this week.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2016\/04\/26\/taryn-youngstein-no-doctor-wants-to-strike\/\">Youngstein writes<\/a>, \u201c<em>We have very dark days ahead, no easy path forward. If we strike we may damage trust in our profession, but if we don\u2019t, we will see the ushering in of a poorly thought out, unplanned, and unfunded junior contract, that will undoubtedly lead to a further decline in morale and haemorrhaging of doctors from the NHS.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>12.12 \u00a0&#8211; These tweets below offer a flavour of the support being offered by consultants to\u00a0their\u00a0junior colleagues today.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Over 260 consultants at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have signed an open letter supporting <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/juniordoctors?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#juniordoctors<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2hmXzAqKdj\">pic.twitter.com\/2hmXzAqKdj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; BBC Sheffield (@BBCSheffield) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BBCSheffield\/status\/724841909953417218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Several <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CUH_NHS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CUH_NHS<\/a> Consultants proudly wearing <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheBMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheBMA<\/a> badge of solidarity with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/johannmalawana?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@johannmalawana<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/BusCLoonvC\">pic.twitter.com\/BusCLoonvC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Angelos Kolias (@ag_kolias) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ag_kolias\/status\/724910175157653505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>12.02 &#8211; The chair of the BMA&#8217;s junior doctors committee Johann Malawana has shared this message of support to UK junior doctors which has been set from colleagues in New Zealand&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A very welcome message from our New Zealand colleagues. They have experience of difficult disputes <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/AABkx4GmEo\">pic.twitter.com\/AABkx4GmEo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; johannmalawana (@johannmalawana) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/johannmalawana\/status\/724914576777695234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>11.48 &#8211; A clip here of an interesting exchange between the health secretary Jeremy Hunt and the BBC&#8217;s Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4&#8217;s Today programme this morning.<\/p>\n<p>Whilst Hunt sidestepped\u00a0the\u00a0question over whether he might stand down in light of the industrial dispute, he did disclose that his current role was &#8220;likely to be my last big job in politics.&#8221; Whether this is\u00a0his own choice\u00a0is another matter&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;This is likely to be my last big job in politics&quot; says health sec <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jeremy_Hunt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Jeremy_Hunt<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3dLlxSfBxx\">https:\/\/t.co\/3dLlxSfBxx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BBCr4today\/status\/724910875363008512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>11.37 &#8211;\u00a0Reinforcements have arrived at the Hammersmith hospital picket in West London\u2026<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This just took us by surprise at the Hammersmith hospital picket \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f just wow <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ImperialNHS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ImperialNHS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/P3nEUJqYbc\">pic.twitter.com\/P3nEUJqYbc<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Julia Prague (@julia_prague) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/julia_prague\/status\/724904763402375168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>11.27 &#8211; Pictures below showing large turnouts on picket lines in Leeds and Brighton today.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/eye_polly\/status\/724900633468370945<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/andy0892\/status\/724871772110213120<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>11.13 &#8211; Yet ANOTHER explainer here &#8211; maybe\u00a0visual treats are the the best means for\u00a0explaining this long running and increasingly bitter dispute?<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s fair to say this one has a particular viewpoint it wants to convey&#8230;and we&#8217;re not talking about which brand of sandal the health secretary might prefer.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Not sure why the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctors?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctors<\/a> are going on strike? This explains it in a nutshell &#8211; pls RT &amp; show your support <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1MmsXy9mYS\">pic.twitter.com\/1MmsXy9mYS<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NHS Million (@NHSMillion) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NHSMillion\/status\/724564562704535552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 25, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>11.07 &#8211;\u00a0Lizzie Wortley,\u00a0a paediatric registrar\u00a0 in north west London, has written a blog for <em>The BMJ<\/em> about her conflicted feelings on today&#8217;s strike.<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;The idea of a full walkout today is a level of uncertainty we have not dealt with before,&#8221; <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2016\/04\/26\/elizabeth-wortley-should-i-strike\/\">she writes.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>11.01 &#8211; Who wants to see Piers Morgan ask a question to a pillow*? Of course you do.<\/p>\n<p><em>*The pillow also has Jeremy Hunt&#8217;s face on it, in case you thought we&#8217;d steered away from the topic at hand.<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">WATCH: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/piersmorgan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@piersmorgan<\/a> has a question for <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jeremy_Hunt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Jeremy_Hunt<\/a>. Unfortunately he can&#39;t answer&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/e0H3Cq6KCD\">https:\/\/t.co\/e0H3Cq6KCD<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Good Morning Britain (@GMB) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GMB\/status\/724858864785481728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>10.52 &#8211; The chairman of <em>The BMA<\/em> Mark Porter has posted this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheBMA\/videos\/10153746293784794\/\">video message<\/a>\u00a0regarding\u00a0this week&#8217;s industrial action by junior doctors.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>10.45 &#8211; <em>The Guardian&#8217;s<\/em> Polly Toynbee has also written on the strike in\u00a0a piece which namechecks <em>The BMJ<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>In Toynbee&#8217;s\u00a0view, the real target of today&#8217;s strike from the government&#8217;s point of view is not junior doctors\u00a0but <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2016\/apr\/26\/jeremy-hunt-nhs-junior-doctors-strike?CMP=share_btn_tw\">&#8220;the entire public sector.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>10.38 &#8211; &#8220;Explainers&#8221; are\u00a0all the rage at the moment. This latest graphic has been published\u00a0by\u00a0<em>The Financial Times <\/em>based on figures from\u00a0<em>NHS Employers<\/em><i>.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<p>The editor of Newsnight Ian Katz says it&#8217;s the first time he&#8217;s properly understood the gap between <em>The BMA<\/em> and the government on junior doctors pay.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Takes bit of digesting but this FT graphic first time I&#39;ve properly understood gap between BMA + govt on jnr doc pay <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/YIjrEc0PHx\">pic.twitter.com\/YIjrEc0PHx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ian Katz (@iankatz1000) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iankatz1000\/status\/724869439729061888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>10.30 &#8211;\u00a0The Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn has also weighed into the debate. As well as giving his backing to junior doctors on strike today, Corbyn has suggested that the government may be deliberately starving the NHS of resources to encourage people to pay for private care.<\/p>\n<p>His <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/politics\/2016\/apr\/25\/jeremy-corbyn-nhs-junior-doctors-strike-private-healthcare\">comments<\/a>, reported by <em>The Guardian<\/em>, were made at yesterday\u2019s Communication Workers Union in Bournemouth.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>10.27 &#8211;\u00a0Leading NHS commentator and all round puller of no punches Roy Lilley has written <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fabnhsstuff.net\/2016\/04\/26\/i-could-be-wrong-%EF%BB%BF\/\">this blog<\/a>\u00a0on the strike.<\/p>\n<p>In Lilley\u2019s view, the real question is what happens next in the dispute<em>. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>10.18 &#8211; This infographic was doing the rounds on Twitter last week, explaining the reasons behind the dispute.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2016\/04\/25\/junior-doctors-strike-26-27-april-2016-live-blog\/jd_contract_explained\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-36555\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-36555\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2016\/04\/jd_contract_explained.jpg\" alt=\"jd_contract_explained\" width=\"539\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2016\/04\/jd_contract_explained.jpg 539w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2016\/04\/jd_contract_explained-168x300.jpg 168w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2016\/04\/jd_contract_explained-300x534.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 539px) 100vw, 539px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>10.11 &#8211; Junior doctors across England have joined picket lines this morning, including these doctors pictured below in Newcastle, Cambridge and Poole.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/CapitalNENews\/status\/724886762875682816<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Picket line outside Addenbrooke&#39;s Hospital as junior doctors in Cambs join all-out strike <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9zN95BZWJ4\">https:\/\/t.co\/9zN95BZWJ4<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/h3c8sveNcd\">pic.twitter.com\/h3c8sveNcd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; BBC Radio Cambridgeshire (@BBCCambs) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BBCCambs\/status\/724887418671910912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Lots of colourful signage on the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JuniorDoctorsStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JuniorDoctorsStrike<\/a> picket line outside Poole Hospital <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Dorset?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Dorset<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/YhUioEmRYw\">pic.twitter.com\/YhUioEmRYw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Luke de Costa (@NewsLukedC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NewsLukedC\/status\/724886162687582208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>09.58 &#8211; The aforementioned political ramifications of the strike are reflected on the front page of <em>The Times<\/em>\u00a0this morning<em>\u00a0<\/em>(see below).<\/p>\n<p>The paper claims that two cabinet ministers including the prominent Brexiteer Michael Gove\u00a0have helped to turn the strike into a dispute over the EU by backing claims that the money saved from leaving the EU\u00a0could settle the protracted battle. The full story is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thetimes.co.uk\/edition\/news\/cabinet-split-over-brexit-cash-for-striking-doctors-bhk3vvhg0\">online here [\u00a3]<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/Cg7Ls3eW4AE75nq.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"511\" height=\"634\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>09.30 &#8211; As with previous days of action, the junior\u00a0doctors taking all action today say they are doing so with a heavy heart. \u00a0But politically, the stakes have never been higher than they have this week, with\u00a0doctors walking out of both routine and emergency care for the first time.<\/p>\n<p>Doctors can take some heart from the latest opinion polls, with<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ipsos-mori.com\/researchpublications\/researcharchive\/3727\/Majority-support-junior-doctors-ahead-of-first-full-walkout.aspx#gallery[m]\/1\/\"> figures released this morning<\/a> from Ipsos MORI showing that 57% of support the doctors\u2019 cause, compared to a quarter who oppose.<\/p>\n<p>The figures &#8211; highlighted in graphical form below &#8211; show that the majority still think the government is most at fault for the ongoing dispute \u2013 although\u00a0a rising number think government and doctors both to blame equally<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ipsos-mori.com\/Assets\/Images\/Polls\/junior-doctors-support-change-april-2016.jpg\" alt=\"Support for junior doctors\u2019 full walkout holding up better than might have been expected from January findings\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ipsos-mori.com\/Assets\/Images\/Polls\/junior-doctors-support-april-2016.jpg\" alt=\"Majority still support the junior doctors, but support is not as high as when emergency care was being provided\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ipsos-mori.com\/Assets\/Images\/Polls\/junior-doctors-blame-april-2016.jpg\" alt=\"While the majority still feel the government is at fault for the dispute lasting this long, an increased proportion now blame both the doctors and government\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>08.15 &#8211;\u00a0The first all out strike by doctors in the history of the NHS has begun as thousands of junior doctors join picket lines across England.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Monday\u00a025th\u00a0April<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>16.59 &#8211; The Department of Health has just published the health secretary&#8217;s\u00a0statement in full <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/speeches\/nhs-7-day-services-and-the-junior-doctors-strike\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>16.48\u00a0&#8211; Jeremy Hunt has delivered his statement to the House of Commons, and as it stands, it looks like tomorrow&#8217;s strike by junior doctors will be going ahead.<\/p>\n<p>In his statement, which you can watch again <a href=\"http:\/\/www.parliamentlive.tv\/Event\/Index\/1d776a62-25a3-41bf-a2b5-6114eff97ec4\">here<\/a>, Hunt once again insisted that his government was correct to be taking what he called the &#8220;tough and difficult decisions&#8221; required to bring about seven day working in the NHS.<\/p>\n<p>The health secretary also made a direct appeal to all junior doctors\u00a0not to withdraw emergency cover tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p>In response, Labour&#8217;s shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander lambasted Hunt for spurning her cross party proposal to pilot and independently evaluate the new contract in a small number of areas before deciding whether to roll it out nationwide.<\/p>\n<p>Alexander\u00a0said that &#8220;history will not be kind&#8221; to the health secretary if he allows tomorrow&#8217;s strike to go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>15.53 &#8211; Two junior doctors with contrasting views on the strike have blogged their thoughts ahead of tomorrow&#8217;s strike action.<\/p>\n<p>Writing for\u00a0The <em>I<\/em> newspaper, junior doctor\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/opinion\/comment\/come-girls-dont-give-sport\/\">Reena Aggarwal<\/a> says she wished she did not have to strike \u2013 but feels there is no alternative now.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;<em>I wish I did not have to strike. I wish the government would recognise that implementation of this contract will not deliver their uncosted, unmodelled and undefined 7 day soundbite. I wish the government would recognise that we would all return to work tomorrow without any reservation if the imposition of the contract was lifted and negotiations restarted,<\/em>&#8221; writes Aggarwal.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, fellow junior doctor Alice Gerth will not be taking part in action. In this\u00a0blog for <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2016\/04\/25\/alice-gerth-taking-sides-in-the-junior-doctors-strike\/\">BMJ.com<\/a>, Gerth expresses her concern of &#8220;a schism&#8221; developing between the sides of the picket line.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;<em>It is important that we graciously engage with each other and acknowledge that the right to not strike is as important as the right to do so. For after all, we all believe that we are acting in the best interests of our patients and the NHS,<\/em>&#8221; she writes.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>15.12 &#8211; The &#8216;junior doctors leaders trying to topple the government&#8217; story has elicited plenty of responses on social media, many of them expressing bafflement at the &#8220;noises&#8221;\u00a0emanating\u00a0from Whitehall.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The idea that BMA has \u201cradicalised a generation of junior doctors\u201d is frankly laughable. Gov losing all credibility. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EVVinj8J2r\">https:\/\/t.co\/EVVinj8J2r<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Simon Cockell @sjcockell@genomic.social (@sjcockell) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sjcockell\/status\/724599936524935168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 25, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/keirshiels\/status\/724600123053989889<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>14.40 &#8211; Ahead of his\u00a0statement, <em>The BMJ<\/em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/353\/bmj.i2362\">reports today<\/a>\u00a0that Hunt has offered to meet with the BMA\u2019s chairman of council Mark Porter in a last ditch attempt to avert an all-out strike by junior doctors.<\/p>\n<p>Is it possible that a last minute resolution can\u00a0be\u00a0found?\u00a0All eyes will be on the House of Commons this afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>14.08 &#8211; The House of Commons has just <a href=\"http:\/\/www.parliament.uk\/business\/news\/2016\/april\/statement-on-junior-doctor-contracts-25-april-2016\/\">announced<\/a> that there will be a statement from Jeremy Hunt on seven day health services and junior doctor industrial action later today.<\/p>\n<p>Tune in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.parliamentlive.tv\/Event\/Index\/1d776a62-25a3-41bf-a2b5-6114eff97ec4\">here<\/a> at 4:15pm to hear what the health secretary has to say.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>13.55 &#8211;\u00a0With the first all out strike action by junior doctors due to commence at 8am tomorrow, the rhetoric is being dialled up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"story-body__h1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/health-36126740\">&#8220;Junior doctors&#8217; leaders &#8216;trying to topple the government'&#8221;<\/a> is the understated\u00a0claim made by &#8220;a government source&#8221; quoted by the BBC.<\/p>\n<p class=\"story-body__h1\">In what the BBC describes as &#8220;a scathing attack,&#8221; the unnamed source said the strikes this week were aimed at toppling the government and the embattled Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, and accused the BMA of\u00a0radicalising junior doctors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"story-body__h1\">In response, the BMA said the accusation was &#8220;ridiculous.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This week, junior doctors in England will be undertaking\u00a0a full withdrawal of labour between the hours of 8am and 5pm on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 April, as the ongoing [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2016\/04\/25\/junior-doctors-strike-26-27-april-2016-live-blog\/\">More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[165,236],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-junior-doctors","category-nhs"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Junior doctors&#039; 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