Hundreds of healthcare professionals united in Nottingham City Centre on Saturday 17th October to protest against proposed changes to junior doctors’ contracts.
The protest, organised by Chun Hong Tang, began at 2pm in the Old Market Square, with protestors holding placards which read “save our NHS” and “protect our junior doctors”.
Led by Mr Tang, protestors could be heard chanting “no ifs, no buts, no NHS cuts” and “save our NHS”.
As the protest got under way, several key speakers voiced their concerns about the proposed changes to contracts, which were submitted to the British Medical Association (BMA) by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Hunt gave the BMA six weeks to approve proposed changes which planned to remove a clause that currently enables doctors to choose not to work on a Saturday or Sunday.
“It is a very important issue, not just for medics but for the population as a whole”
Expressing her “concern for the future of junior doctors in the UK”, President of the University of Nottingham’s Med Soc, Kim Stallard, was one of the first to speak.
In her speech, Kim said that many of her fellow students have indicated that they now “want to work abroad” rather than in the UK.
Speaking to Impact, Kim said: “We’re hoping to raise awareness because we feel that a lot of people aren’t really that aware of what is going on – it hasn’t been reported much in the media and it should be”.
She added: “It’s actually a very important issue, not just for medics but also for the population as a whole”.
These sentiments were echoed by Chun Tang as he told passersby why healthcare professionals had decided to protest against contract changes.
Mr Tang said: “We are against telling the public you want to implement something that already exists”.
He also posed many questions to Jeremy Hunt, asking where “concrete evidence” for his claims were, and how he “can know what we are fighting for if you don’t even know what we are doing?”
Although highlighting that the protest was “not about the money”, Chun Tang did question how it could be suggested that wage cuts would not be made within the proposed changes.
He asked: “Take away 40%, plus 15% – is that not a pay cut?”, which led to an applause by fellow demonstrators.
“Your fight today is everybody’s fight”
Labour MP for Gedling, Vernon Coaker, was next to speak, telling protestors: “Your fight today is everybody’s fight. It’s not only for the NHS, it’s for the country we want”.
Closing his speech, he told campaigners: “You represent all that is best in our country. Good luck with your campaign – we stand with you”.
Consultants from Derby hospitals and Nottingham City Hospital also spoke of their “unanimous support” for junior doctors, and pledged to cover for any junior doctors who needed to take time off work.
“As a Union we believe that medical students deserve to have a secure future”
Members of the University’s Students’ Union have also shown their support for the campaign.
Equal Opportunities and Welfare Officer Sarah Pickup, and Community Officer Sam Peake were both present at the event, and President Angharad Smith took to the SU President’s blog to discuss the proposed changes.
She told readers: “As a Union we believe that medical students deserve to have a secure future in the NHS and are worried that the changes will lead to doctors being over-worked and under-paid”.
She also urged readers to sign the petition against contract changes, which can be found on the parliament’s petitions website.
Tamsin Parnell and Hannah Eves
Image: Impact News
