UK DOCTORS ON STRIKE!
Surely there is a level of moral gratitude left in our culture to value those who tirelessly serve the needs of others? Media and government spin has devalued the NHS and healthcare professions so far that many have lost the self esteem to take industrial action in the first place; but in reality this action is a safe way we can send the government a message of displeasure with their U turns and savage attack on those who save the NHS the most and who pay the highest personal cost.
Here in the UK we have an interesting situation brewing. Doctors across the country are striking over the government tearing up a pension agreement made in 2008. The 2008 negotiations already forced docs to work longer (thus allowing the govt to pay out less in the long run as we either die young or claim less pension years and contribute longer) and now they want to attack this arrangement made in the depths of the financial crisis, by adding extra contributions and years of work asking us to contribute 14% more over our career and retire at 68! This is compared to other civil servants who currently continue to be paid their agreed pensions and have not been trampled on in the media.
I see this as part of a larger plan to finally privatise the NHS in years to come, UK dentists were forced to go private in a similar fashion a few years back by devaluing payments for routine treatments, causing their contract to be non viable.
The second issue here is that politicians are rated as the least trusted in our society, while GPs the target of govt spin and propaganda are actually the most trusted - second only to a member of family. We have taken such a bashing in the press over the last few years and endured all sorts of unnecessary changes to our training schemes and working conditions because we put serving patients at the heart of our values even if our personal lives are made a hell as a result. Don't forget that we take up to 10-15 years to train up (with new docs incurring massive debts and paying uni fees for 5-6 yrs) to the level of consultant or GP and must work long antisocial hours just to get to the privileged position as the most hated profession of politicians and the most loved by the public.
The government would love to have you think that your doc is a money grabber whose only reason for existence is to milk the NHS dry while making as much money out of you as possible - so we get storied seeded in the press like the "GP earns £250k" or even the picture below which compares average GP partner salaries with headteachers and equivalent paid civil servants. These stories often take the extremes and paint them as the norm - some GPs may earn a little more and some may earn less but you can bet they work hard for their earnings and all have to continually jump through more hoops and obstacles put in our way by the QOF and government meddling in service provision and PCTs being disbanded.
We must see this in context as it is foolish to only rely on such hyperbole; we must realise that many docs and GPs are not in partnerships will not achieve full pension or be able to retire at 65 let alot 68! We now have a large number of female GPs who will not achieve full pension years due to maternity and working part time; in an attempt to continue serving the population they are penalised for not making up full pension years.
I myself have not worked full time since I qualified, instead choosing to have a portfolio career of diverse medical and health related activity some of which is unpaid and charitable, so I will not achieve a full pension either.
This debate is framed by the backdrop of fat cat bankers continuing to be paid extortionate unregulated bonuses and huge pensions despite failure and financial losses.
My last point is that the government doesn't have a "fund" for doctors pensions rather this arrangemenr is like a "those paying in pay those retired" scheme, with the govt currently is getting a surplus of £2bn into the treasury and they want to increase this by asking docs to contribute 14% more - what about saving for the future when they will have to PAY OUT the extra contributions we have paid in...its all rather short sighted, but that is nothing new.
For more links to recent articles and comment please follow me on twitter below.
Twitter: Follow @menshealthtips
About Sinclair Health Ltd
Dr Ben Sinclair Linked In Profile
Here in the UK we have an interesting situation brewing. Doctors across the country are striking over the government tearing up a pension agreement made in 2008. The 2008 negotiations already forced docs to work longer (thus allowing the govt to pay out less in the long run as we either die young or claim less pension years and contribute longer) and now they want to attack this arrangement made in the depths of the financial crisis, by adding extra contributions and years of work asking us to contribute 14% more over our career and retire at 68! This is compared to other civil servants who currently continue to be paid their agreed pensions and have not been trampled on in the media.
I see this as part of a larger plan to finally privatise the NHS in years to come, UK dentists were forced to go private in a similar fashion a few years back by devaluing payments for routine treatments, causing their contract to be non viable.
The second issue here is that politicians are rated as the least trusted in our society, while GPs the target of govt spin and propaganda are actually the most trusted - second only to a member of family. We have taken such a bashing in the press over the last few years and endured all sorts of unnecessary changes to our training schemes and working conditions because we put serving patients at the heart of our values even if our personal lives are made a hell as a result. Don't forget that we take up to 10-15 years to train up (with new docs incurring massive debts and paying uni fees for 5-6 yrs) to the level of consultant or GP and must work long antisocial hours just to get to the privileged position as the most hated profession of politicians and the most loved by the public.
The government would love to have you think that your doc is a money grabber whose only reason for existence is to milk the NHS dry while making as much money out of you as possible - so we get storied seeded in the press like the "GP earns £250k" or even the picture below which compares average GP partner salaries with headteachers and equivalent paid civil servants. These stories often take the extremes and paint them as the norm - some GPs may earn a little more and some may earn less but you can bet they work hard for their earnings and all have to continually jump through more hoops and obstacles put in our way by the QOF and government meddling in service provision and PCTs being disbanded.
We must see this in context as it is foolish to only rely on such hyperbole; we must realise that many docs and GPs are not in partnerships will not achieve full pension or be able to retire at 65 let alot 68! We now have a large number of female GPs who will not achieve full pension years due to maternity and working part time; in an attempt to continue serving the population they are penalised for not making up full pension years.I myself have not worked full time since I qualified, instead choosing to have a portfolio career of diverse medical and health related activity some of which is unpaid and charitable, so I will not achieve a full pension either.
This debate is framed by the backdrop of fat cat bankers continuing to be paid extortionate unregulated bonuses and huge pensions despite failure and financial losses.
My last point is that the government doesn't have a "fund" for doctors pensions rather this arrangemenr is like a "those paying in pay those retired" scheme, with the govt currently is getting a surplus of £2bn into the treasury and they want to increase this by asking docs to contribute 14% more - what about saving for the future when they will have to PAY OUT the extra contributions we have paid in...its all rather short sighted, but that is nothing new.
For more links to recent articles and comment please follow me on twitter below.
Twitter: Follow @menshealthtips
About Sinclair Health Ltd
Dr Ben Sinclair Linked In Profile
Comments
Post a Comment
Please leave constructive comments/links here. I will try to respond as soon as possible.
Your comment will not be shown if deemed offensive or inappropriate.