'Utterly horrifying future' of contract plans

  Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has been warned that imposing a new junior contract could irrevocably damage the NHS, as thousands of junior doctors begin two days of industrial action. In a video message created by final year medical student Hannah Barham-Brown (pictured below), Mr Hunt is warned that his contract plans will lead to an ‘utterly terrifying future’ for many in the profession. Ms Barham-Brown, who is disabled, had been due to attend an rheumatology appointment cancelled owing to the 48 hours of action. In her video to Mr Hunt, however, she stresses that she does not in any way blame junior doctors for the cancellation, adding that action is being taken in the interest of patients such as herself. She said: ‘I’m asking you, as are many junior doctors across the country, please stop this. 'Listen. Listen to the future of the profession. Listen to me, listen to my student colleagues. Listen to my qualified colleagues. ‘I have never doubted that medicine was the right thing for me to do — until the last six months. And that’s not because I’m scared of qualifying, that’s not because I’m scared of working as a doctor, it’s because the contract that you have now decided you are going to impose is utterly terrifying for my professional future.’ Ms Barham-Brown, who also trained as a paediatric nurse, said that she has only taken three weeks of leave in that time. Yet because of her disability ...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news