Northampton striking junior doctor says she has 'no choice'

Nicola Pugh hopes the government can talk to the union and get the matter resolved

A striking junior doctor has said she has taken action because the NHS is "losing staff left, right and centre".

Union members at Northampton General Hospital said they were sorry for not working but they had "no choice".

Nicola Pugh, an emergency department registrar, said: "Funding for the NHS is not what it should be."

Their protest came as the government confirmed junior doctors would now be given a 6% pay rise.

On Thursday, junior doctors in England began a five day walkout, after their calls for a 35% pay increase were rejected.

The government had been resistant to offering above-inflation pay rises warning it would further fuel inflation.

Katy McDowall wanted to support other junior doctors on her day off

Ms Pugh said: "I feel like I have no choice, because conditions are that bad in health care we're losing staff left, right and centre.

"Funding the NHS has not been what it should be, there's a massive shortfall."

She said it meant it was having a "knock-on effect to patients" but she was sorry for anyone affected.

"I'm here for patients as well as for me and my working conditions.

"I'm seeing operations being cancelled due to lack of staff and we're seeing massive waiting lists that are not going to get any better."

'Short term pain'

Katy McDowall, a junior doctor, said: "We are here because of what we see happening to the NHS, it's just not what it was.

"The biggest issue for us is retention of staff - we see staff shortages in every area which means we can't do the job we want to do.

"It's short term pain but if we don't do something we won't be able to retain them and we won't be able to care for our patients in the long term."

Millions of public sector workers, including teachers, police and junior doctors, are to be offered pay rises between 5%-7%, the government announced on Thursday.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he had accepted recommendations made by the pay review bodies "in full".

He said the rises would not be funded by borrowing more or increasing taxes.