Press Summary: 12 January

12 January

Junior Doctors’ strike

Today’s main national story, and also featuring in many local outlets. Stories nationally tended to lead with the ‘disruption’ caused, but most also included some explanation of the background to the strike:

21 stories

Brilliant comment pieces in the Guardian, painting the wider picture, from fellow doctors:

http://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/views-from-the-nhs-frontline/2016/jan/11/nhs-junior-doctors-striking-wrong-reasons-privatisation

http://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/views-from-the-nhs-frontline/2016/jan/11/junior-doctor-contract-battle-is-one-we-need-to-win-in-war-for-the-nhs

And from Owen Jones:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/12/junior-doctor-strike-save-nhs-stand-up-government

Comprehensive and even handed coverage by the Mirror: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/junior-doctors-strike-live-latest-7161931

Including a map showing picket locations:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/junior-doctors-picketing-during-nhs-7158128

 

Top health story by the BBC, citing Hunt’s plea to return to negotiating table:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35294637

 

Predictably anti-strike stories by the Daily Mail:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3393109/Health-strike-hijack-Hard-left-allies-Corbyn-plot-join-doctors-picket-lines.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3395279/Junior-doctors-picket-lines-strike-40-years-Row-pay-contracts-leads-three-planned-walk-outs.html

and a tranche of letters in the Telegraph claiming the BMA has been ‘hijacked’ by ‘hard left”:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/12093077/Letters-The-BMA-has-become-a-politicised-trade-union-that-puts-patient-care-last.html

Plus a story in the Telegraph citing Hunt’s praise of doctors who crossed the picket lines:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/nhs/12094244/Junior-doctors-NHS-strike-Tuesday.html

 

Worrying DoH pressure on Keogh to claim strike would jeopardize safety in major incidents, with a ‘terrorist’ implication:

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2016-01-11/claims-nhs-boss-encouraged-to-hard-edge-strike-concerns

 

Even-handed for/against debate on whether doctors are right to strike (local):

Southend Echo http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/14197602.Are_junior_doctors_right_to_strike

 

Factual account from the Midhurst and Petworth Observer (Sussex):

http://www.midhurstandpetworth.co.uk/news/local/sussex-junior-doctors-prepare-for-strike-action-1-7154883

A less balances piece from oneMK, Milton Keynes, stressing risk of cancelled operations:

http://www.onemk.co.uk/Milton-Keynes-Hospital-warns-operations-postponed/story-28503178-detail/story.html

 

Nurses Bursary protest

International Business Times: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/nhs-bursaries-uk-protests-student-nurses-midwives-denounce-government-changes-1537192

Camden, London (local): http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/health/camden_nurses_march_against_bursary_cuts_1_4374462

 

24/7 NHS ‘stupid and insane’

Criticism of the government’s plans by doctors’ group, released on the eve of the strike:

Daily Express: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/633520/NHS-cannot-afford-weekend-24-7-service-doctors-warn

 

Belper public meeting on fate of local hospital (Derbyshire)

Belper Keep Our NHS Public meeting announced in local press:

http://www.belpernews.co.uk/news/local/campaigners-call-public-meeting-on-future-of-belper-s-health-services-1-7670258

 

Warwick Hospital increases private room provision (local)

South Warwickshire KONP quoted sounding caution over privatization:

Leamington Observer: http://leamingtonobserver.co.uk/news/private-rooms-available-warwick-hospital

 

South Somerset GP services ‘in terrible mess’ (local)

Western Gazette: http://www.westerngazette.co.uk/GP-services-Wincanton-total-mess-report-addresses/story-28504492-detail/story.html

 

Trade Union Bill and the NHS

The dangers posed to the NHS by this legislation

Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/josie-irwin/trade-union-bill_b_8952880.html

STOP PRESS: There’s a Better Way…

You can now get alerts sent about health stories yourself. This is much better than a regular, ‘supplied’ service because you can choose what key words trigger the alerts: “Keep Our NHS Pubic”, “NHS”, “health” – your choice. Then you can adjust the settings to improve the coverage. This has the added advantage that local stories to you can be searched for, as well as national. Alerts can be set up to send you an e-mail as a story breaks, or summarise them under headings you decide once a day.

This is done through Google news and Google alerts: free services anyone can set up. To find out how to do this, go to the Steering Group, News & Events section and look for the “starter set of instructions”.

… and please don’t forget, your smartphone or tablet will have free apps that look for and filter news, too: try configuring those for health stories, or the NHS, as well.