Originally Posted by
andytyc
I'm a hospital consultant and I fully support this as unless the NHS renumerates all staff appropriately, it will continue to haemorrhage staff to other countries and other sectors. It's always in the news about how many foreign doctors there are in the UK but one of the things that is not reported on enough is the number of local doctors leaving the NHS for other countries, mainly OZ/NZ. There are 2 points when junior doctors leave, either soon after graduating and completing Foundation training or after specialist training. We've just had another trainee who had finished specialist training in the UK, accept a job with us before going to NZ to do a fellowship for a year and realising how much better things were over there in both pay and lifestyle and then apologise to us that they have to turn down the job as they are not coming back. His wife who just finished her gastroenterology training also got a job there as a consultant. The year before the pandemic, half our FY2s were leaving for OZ after completing their Foundation training. From what I last heard 4 out of the 8 who went across have decided to stay there permanently. To give you an idea, my colleague who I share an office with explained how she earned £150k as a fellow in NZ. Every on call and call out is chargeable. So working in a smaller unit, which is where most UK trainees will go to, you work hard but get paid for it. So yes, a stand has to be made. It's unfortunate that this is the time to do it but in better times, they were still offering below inflation pay rises. As for GP surgeries, I think there is a huge variation in practice but I can tell you as a husband married to one who has quit and now only doing locum work, that you could not pay me enough to do that job. Everything is broken. The pressure is too intense and will only get worse for those remaining in it and they will leave as it is unsustainable. The lack of long term planning/ short termism and underfunding by the government has crushed the health service. Healthcare costs have been going up, the cost of some drugs are unbelievably high, PFIs drain resources from smaller health boards, chronic illness in an aging population, the mental health crises to name just a few issues. Brexit and the pandemic has caused an acute staff shortage where we have had theatres lie empty because of this. Staff morale is rock bottom and secretarial staff are leaving in droves as the abuse the get from patients on the phone is unacceptable but to a certain degree, understandable. Personally , I've never been so stressed and under pressure in my career and I'm really a chilled guy. It's fighting fire all day and everyday at the moment. The NHS is really at a critical stage some grown up talk needs to be had. No quick fixes but retaining the staff that you have must surely be the number one priority at the moment.