Right now, the junior doctors have public support. But that would fast change if any NHS patient died during the strike in any way that could be linked to lack of junior doctor. Even as things stand, the very threat of a strike has seen up to 20,000 NHS patients having treatment postponed. The British Medical Association has other strike dates in the diary – 8 and 16 December – but they now look less likely to go ahead. Ambulance drivers stepped back from the brink earlier this year and for the same reason: they didn’t want to end up blamed for anyone’s death. It had seemed that the BMA and the junior doctors were not quite as strategic in their approach.
There are reports that Jeremy Hunt has agreed not to impose the new contract; as I understand this is a temporary deal. He still wants the BMA’s agreement with his new contract and if he doesn’t get it by 13 January then he’ll press ahead with the changes anyway. So talks continue. But for now, it looks as if the BMA is very unlikely to follow through with its threat of the first-ever full-on doctors strike in NHS history. That’s best for everyone concerned.
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