PLACARD-BEARING protesters gathered on the streets of Stroud on Saturday in solidarity with Junior Doctors, as they continue their fight against the terms of a new employment contract.

Last week the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that a new contract will be imposed on all NHS junior doctors from August 1, after negotiations with the British Medical Association failed to reach a resolution.

His move sparked a fresh wave of anger among the 45,000 junior doctors in England who will be affected, and warnings that his decision will exacerbate the NHS’s already serious shortages of medics in key areas of care.

Junior doctors are on strike over the ‘anti-social’ contract, which they say is unsafe for patients because it encourages hospitals to ask staff to work longer shifts and will reduce their take home pay.

The solidarity protest was organised by anti-austerity group Stroud Against the Cuts, and followed strikes across the country on Wednesday.

More than 50 demonstrators gathered together to speak out against Hunt’s decision, waving signs and placards such as ‘Support Junior Doctors, Save Our NHS’, ‘Not Fair, Not Safe’ and ‘Protect Our Health Service’.

The demo saw members of the public and Green and Labour district councillors join the protest, which started on Stroud High Street and ended on the steps of the Subscription Rooms.

James Beecher of Stroud Against the Cuts, who organised the event, said: “Thanks to everyone who came to the short-notice protest in support of Junior Doctors and the NHS. I thought it was fantastic.

"It is outrageous that Jeremy Hunt thinks he can impose a contract on Junior Doctors when 98 per cent of them voted to take industrial action against such a bad contract.

“There is a real threat to patient safety and the future of the NHS if doctors leave.

“We must stand up and support our doctors now - we can't allow the government to run the health service into the ground as part of its privatisation agenda."

Green Party county councillor Sarah Lunnon, who attended the march, said: “The NHS has been cherished since its creation in the aftermath of WWII - the Green's support of the Junior Doctor's campaign is based on the principals of security, justice and fairness that were the founding principles our astonishing brilliant health system. 

“This is not a fight of the left against the right, it's a campaign for the British values of decency and justice. I'm glad to support the Junior Doctors.”

A similar protest was held outside Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on Thursday night.

Stroud News and Journal:

Mr Hunt said he had ‘no choice’ but to impose the contracts after the union refused to compromise.

He said the deal was an ‘important step’ to improving care at weekends and a seven day NHS – a key Conservative manifesto pledge.

Under the current terms of the contract, doctors will receive a 13.5 per cent rise in their basic pay to compensate for the cut to evening, night shift and weekend premiums.

However, the key reforms, under which out-of-hours payments for Saturdays will only commence at 5pm, have been retained.

The Government wants the changes to make it cheaper for hospitals to roster doctors at weekends, but medics fear it will lead to the workforce being overstretched.

New concessions will, however, mean that any doctor working one in four Saturdays will be paid out-of-hours rates for all hours on all Saturdays worked.

Safeguards have been promised to ensure no junior doctor works more than 72 hours in a week.

The British Medical Association has said that it will continue to fight the contract.

Meanwhile, a petition calling for a vote of no confidence in Jeremy Hunt has passed 250,000 signatures.

The petition on the Government’s website reached over 100,000 signatures within 24 hours of its launch and will now have to be considered for debate in Parliament.

Stroud News and Journal:

Photographs by Simon Pizzey

Stroud News and Journal:

Stroud News and Journal:

Stroud News and Journal:

Stroud News and Journal:

Stroud News and Journal:

Stroud News and Journal:

Stroud News and Journal:

Photographs by Simon Pizzey