The chants and honks of support during a strike can be cathartic for some, but for others it can be a time for sombre reflection. “I don’t have a good answer for that, not one that doesn’t include a few swearwords,” said one junior doctor with two children, who did not want to be named, when asked about the impact her job has had on her family.
She preceded her brief answers with lengthy, contemplative pauses. During the pandemic, she was sent to Covid wards twice. “I got PTSD,” she said. “I’ll leave it there.”
