Junior doctors to walk out of Epsom and St Helier Hospitals tomorrow over contracts 'endangering patients and slashing pay'

From November: Epsom and St Helier hospitals prepare for first junior doctor walk-out on December 1

From January 5: Junior doctor strike back on after negotiations with government flounder

Frustrated junior doctors will walk out of hospitals nationwide including Epsom Hospital, St Helier, St George's Hospital, the Royal Marsden, West Middlesex University Hospital, Croydon Hospital, and Kingston Hospital from 8am on Tuesday, January 12.

Consultants, non-training doctors and junior doctors already scheduled as on-call will provide emergency care until 8am on Wednesday, January 13 while thousands of doctors walk out.

Impartial mediators from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) oversaw "constructive" talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the NHS last week.

An Acas spokesperson said: "Talks have been held under the auspices of Acas between the established team for the BMA and the NHS team.

"Unfortunately, whilst talks have been constructive and will continue next week, the parties are not able to prevent the industrial action planned for January 12."

If a resolution is not reached, junior doctors will also hold a 48-hour strike from 8am on Tuesday, January 26 to 8am on Thursday, January 28, in which only emergency care will be provided.

This will then be followed by a full walk-out on Wednesday, February 10 from 8am to 5pm.

Junior doctors are protesting contract proposals that include an 11 per cent rise in basic pay which is then offset by cutting the hours for which they can claim extra pay for unsocial hours.

Current NHS rules mean a premium rate of wages would be paid for any hours worked between 7pm and 7am on Monday to Friday, and any hours worked on Saturdays and Sundays.

But under the new contracts this premium rate would be slashed.

Junior doctors would receive time and a half for any hours worked between 10pm and 7am, or time and a third for any hours worked between 7pm and 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

They would also be paid between two per cent and six per cent of basic pay for being available on call, with additional payment available for work resulting from being on call.

Under the new contracts, junior doctors fear they might be asked to work longer hours with shorter breaks more often - increasing their fatigure and decreasing their ability to make good decisions.

Davey Thaxter, 26, is a second-year doctor from Deer Park Close, Kingston.

He works at both Epsom Hospital and St Helier Hospital, but tomorrow he will be walking out to join the protest.

He said: "I’m very pleased that we came back from the proposed industrial action (in December), but this time, while we have been offered a lot of assurances, a lot has been diluted.

"For instance, diluting the power to make trusts look after their staff.

"It is not a decision that anyone I know is taking lightly.

"If we want a health service in the future that can help everyone, no matter where they are from or how much they earn, this is what we have to do."

Krishna Sivakumaran, 27, from Putney Hill, Putney is also a second year doctor at St Helier Hospital.

He said: "It is quite a stressful work environment anyway, and then the Government’s attitude in negotiations - that we don’t work hard enough, and that we don’t put in enough hours - just adds to it.

"To be told that they need you to work more hours in the week and get paid less is very demoralising.

"There’s a general sentiment of being undervalued and under appreciated."

For coverage of the junior doctors' strike tomorrow, follow the live blog on this site.