Andrea Jenkyns MP: ​A doctor’s place is the hospital, not the picket line!

Andrea Jenkyns MP writes: We have all experienced the impact of recent NHS strikes in one way or another.

The reaching of a proposed agreement between the government and strikers should therefore be welcomed, but we cannot forget that this comes after months of confusion and waiting for those seeking medical attention.

The strikes have had a profound impact on public opinion, and this should be acknowledged.

The majority of people have stated that they do not support medics walking out.

It is clear that communities, both local and nationally, fear the impact of A&E departments being understaffed.

I have recently had the misfortune of experiencing first-hand the impact of inefficient medical care on those most in need of it.

Bluntly, those in the medical profession have a duty of care to their patients.

Unlike other fields, the quality of treatment at hospitals and GPs dictates life-or-death.

Strikes and negotiations can be a complicated matter, but the primary duty of healthcare professionals is to look after those in need of quality care.

I have the utmost respect for individuals who practice medicine, but government spending is not a zero-sum game.

My fear is that these strikes will lead those taking part to think that this is an effective bargaining tool.

It is reminiscent of what happened in the 1970s, which led to rampant inflation.

Global energy prices, caused by the war in Ukraine, have shown the squeeze that this can have on our wallets.

Adding further fuel to the fire must be avoided!

Imagine your loved one goes into hospital for a routine operation, you put your faith in them that everything will be just fine, but through complications that visit turns into their last.

This is what happened to my family; my mother and father went into local hospitals and passed away.

We need to develop our healthcare system, to make it compassionate for both those who are suffering and for their loved ones.

It should not be the case that during many of my visits to the local hospital to see my mother, I had to care for her whilst she lay there unresponsive due to treatment, whilst in a NHS hospital bed.

So why should we be catering to these people when they don’t do their job?

There was a complete lack of compassion when it came to the treatment of both my mum and dad.

It was the last thing I needed when dealing with the severity of their illnesses.

I want to work with the NHS to find a solution, but this needs to be done without compromising the safety of people in desperate need of assistance from doctors and nurses.

The first way to do this would be to put an end to the strikes which put undue pressure on NHS services.

Ensuring people have access to the resources they need will always be my priority, and it is my hope that these strikes end so that this can be addressed with the urgency it needs.