Junior doctors in North East reveal effects of cost of living crisis

Dr Milosz Kotuksiak, who chairs the British Medical Association’s (BMA’s) Northern regional junior doctor committee, said that while rates of pay have “fallen off a cliff” over the last 14 years, mandatory costs for trainee and aspiring medics have all increased.

He believes their contribution to the NHS has been “ignored” by the Government and said the country cannot afford to lose more disillusioned young doctors who contemplate leaving the profession in frustration at rates of pay.

Dr Kotuksiak said: “It is unacceptable that many junior doctors working in the North East will be constantly worrying about how to pay their bills and simply live, leading many to question their future in the NHS.

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 “While pay has fallen off a cliff since 2008, mandatory costs, including exam, royal college and license to practise fees, indemnity cover and even hospital car parking, have increased.

 “Junior doctors in this region have been going to extraordinary lengths to care for patients throughout the pandemic, but their contribution has been ignored and morale is plummeting as a result.

 “This Government needs to stop pretending that the pressures we’re seeing this winter isn’t a crisis of their making, stop ignoring our calls to meet with ministers and sit down and offer some reasonable practical solutions.

 “As patients in the North East continue to suffer enormous waits for treatment, with what is now the largest ever backlog of care, we simply cannot afford to lose more valuable doctors here at a time when they are most needed.”

He said junior doctors are resorting to cutting back on buying food and heating their homes, as they regularly borrow money from family and friends to help make ends meet.  

It follows a survey1 of more than 4,500 junior doctors in England, the results of which have been published today by the BMA.

The survey highlighted that junior doctors have revealed they are struggling to repay balances on credit cards and are often overdrawn on bank accounts.  

Nearly half, 45.3-per cent, said they have struggled to afford their rent or mortgage and slightly more than half, 50.8pc, have had difficulty paying to heat and light their homes in the past year.  

In the past 12 months, as the cost of living has risen rapidly, the survey flags up clear indications many junior doctors are finding it hard to afford to pay even the most essential of bills.

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Virtually three in ten, 29.8pc, junior doctors have used their overdraft for consecutive months to pay bills and almost a similar number, 27.7pc, say they have not repaid their credit card borrowing for consecutive months.

About half, 49.5pc, have had to borrow money from family or friends in the last year as their wages have failed to rise with inflation. 

The survey reveals that due to their financial hardships as many as 71.4pc of those junior doctors surveyed said they often work extra shifts on top of their contracted hours to make ends meet.

It adds to the BMA’s concerns of exhaustion and “burn out” among the junior doctor ranks, which it said holds potential serious risks for patient safety, as well as doctors’ health.

No less than 62pc said they were suffering from a mental health condition related to or made worse by their work or study. 

The BMA said the revelations have surfaced as junior doctors have endured more than a decade of real terms pay cuts, with their pay having fallen 26.1pc between 2008/09 and 2021/22, one of the steepest falls in pay for any workforce across the public and private sectors.

It said this year’s pay announcement has caused morale “to fall steely”, with the Government giving junior doctors another real terms pay cut, ignoring the impact of rocketing inflation and their significant contributions during the pandemic.

Dr Kotuksiak said: “It is unacceptable that many junior doctors working in the North East will be constantly worrying about how to pay their bills and simply live, leading many to question their future in the NHS.

 “While pay has fallen off a cliff since 2008, mandatory costs, including exam, royal college and license to practise fees, indemnity cover and even hospital car parking, have increased.

 “Junior doctors in this region have been going to extraordinary lengths to care for patients throughout the pandemic, but their contribution has been ignored and morale is plummeting as a result.

 “This Government needs to stop pretending that the pressures we’re seeing this winter isn’t a crisis of their making, stop ignoring our calls to meet with ministers and sit down and offer some reasonable practical solutions.

“As patients in the North East continue to suffer enormous waits for treatment, with what is now the largest ever backlog of care, we simply cannot afford to lose more valuable doctors here at a time when they are most needed.”

The BMA is the professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK.

Read next:

               Junior doctors to march in Newcastle in bid to 'Save the NHS'

               Time for a doctors deal

               Junior doctors should think again​ 

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Earlier this year it called for a 30pc pay rise over five years.

In response, the Department of Health and Social Care said iit is “incredibly grateful” to all NHS staff and it recognised the pressures of the rising cost of living.

But it said a three per cent pay rise last year, despite the public sector pay freeze, is part of an agreed 8.2pc increase over four years.