Striking junior doctors in Leeds say they have been forced into industrial action as the four-day walk out continues.
The strike action began at 7am on Tuesday (April 11) and will continue until Saturday morning, with demonstrators holding a picket outside Leeds General Infirmary. It has been estimated that around 350,000 appointments and operations have been rescheduled as a result with those not on strike covering A&E and maternity care.
The strikes centre around a pay row between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government. Junior doctors say they have seen a 26 percent real-terms pay cut since 2008 and the union has asked for a full pay restoration.
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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called for the strikes to end saying the terms are "unreasonable."
Speaking to LeedsLive, 28-year-old junior doctor Chris Morris said he and his colleagues feel forced into the strike decision, saying "we don't want to be here."
Chris said: "I'm on strike alongside other junior doctors because we face real terms paycuts.
"I know friends and colleagues who have chosen to leave the profession, this will lead to a collapse of the NHS, our mandate is hugely strong and the BMA has been in dispute with the government for nearly 12 months now.
"The health secretary failed to meet with us but we will continue taking action."
Speaking about the support for the strikes and what the future holds, Chris added:
"It's hard to say but we're in a paradox, junior doctors are vital to the NHS to allow patients to be seen.
"We've got a strong mandate, we will continue taking action, we don't want to be here, we don't want to be on strike."
Another junior doctor, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "You'll miss us when we're gone, there is a mass exodus because the pay is poor and the hours are long, just because we are doctors doesn't mean we should work ourselves into the ground.
"The NHS is a privilege and the government are treating it like it's a right."
Rishi Sunak has urged junior doctors to call off the strike and withdraw the “unreasonable” pay demand, insisting it is “completely out of step” with other public sector pay settlements.
MPs have had a 28% pay rise between 2010 and 2022.
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