Junior doctors across the North East are worried about the 'dire' state of the health service they are entering.

Waves of strikes over inadequate pay and punishing shift patterns are making the future bleak for young medics.

The British Medical Association (BMA) published a survey in December 2022 which showed that 79 per cent of junior doctors surveyed had considered leaving the NHS.

They cited levels of pay, deteriorating working conditions and increased workload.

One new junior doctor in Newcastle, who wished to remain anonymous, described how many juniors consider training in the UK before moving to Australia.

They said: "It's (the NHS) in a dire state at the moment.

"The strikes from the whole workforce, not even just the doctors, shows you what a state it is in, in terms of job satisfaction.

"Everyone talks about training in the UK and then moving to Australia because the pay is better, the hours are better and they treat you better."

The BMA explains that junior doctors are taking strike action in 2023 to achieve three aims.

They want to have full pay restoration to reverse the steep decline in pay they have experienced since 2008.

Another aim is to reform the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body so pay increases can be recommended independently and fairly to safeguard the recruitment and retention of junior doctors.

Their final aim is to agree on a mechanism with the government to prevent future declines in pay against the cost of living and inflation.

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The junior doctor added: "The pay is too far gone that a 30 per cent increase, even if that was done over five years, is going to be crippling to the government because of the size of the workforce.

"However, it means that none of the workforce is satisfied."

Junior doctors in England have already been on strike twice this year, one wave in March and another in June.