The relentless pressure is the first thing that hits you. Doctors are constantly battling one crisis after another, extinguishing one fire only to find another flaring up immediately. It’s a cycle of exhaustion, a perpetual state of emergency that has become the norm.
But beneath the surface of frantic activity lies a deeper, more troubling reality. Working conditions have deteriorated drastically. Contracts are unstable, pay has been eroded since 2008, and many doctors now earn less in real terms than their colleagues did over a decade ago. This isn’t just a professional hardship; it’s a crisis of morale.
I work as a resident doctor in the West Midlands, and what was once considered a privilege now feels like a relentless challenge. The cracks are showing, particularly among my peers. That’s why so many of us are striking, and why the response from Health Secretary Wes Streeting feels like a deliberate escalation of conflict, rather than a genuine attempt at resolution.
This winter, like so many before it, has highlighted the broken system we operate within. Despite the physical and mental toll, questioning the status quo felt impossible – until a colleague broke down, confessing that she and everyone around her were functioning in a daze, neglecting their own basic needs while sacrificing themselves to a failing system.
Finishing shifts on time is a rarity. Short breaks are a luxury. On the worst days, there isn’t even time for a sip of water. This isn’t an isolated incident; it’s the shared experience of everyone I work with. The initial excitement of starting a medical career has faded, replaced by a stark awareness of the instability and difficulty of the work.
Chronic underinvestment and a lack of workforce planning – from previous governments and, seemingly, the current one – have reduced the NHS to a bare minimum, routinely failing both patients and staff. The hostile political climate is disheartening, but the particularly dismissive tone from Wes Streeting is deeply frustrating.
His refusal to negotiate on pay is damaging. To suggest our strikes are ‘self-indulgent’ and ‘dangerous’ ignores the impossible situation we face. When the deterioration is undeniable, shouldn’t he be seeking solutions, not assigning blame? His words carry weight, and they are actively harming the frontline.
The chaos isn’t abstract. I’m witnessing late cancer diagnoses with increasing frequency. I remember a young woman, just ten days after giving birth, being told she had a large brain tumor. Her prognosis was grim. It’s a devastating failure, but one that isn’t personal. The responsibility lies with those in power, while we are left to grapple with the consequences.
Burnout is rampant. Statistics reveal that 79% of trusts have concerns about staff burnout, and doctors are significantly more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Beyond the financial strain, we simply want to be able to provide adequate care to our patients – to have secure employment, a basic expectation in any profession.
Currently, 34% of resident doctors have no guaranteed employment beyond August 2025, a figure that rises to 52% for newly qualified doctors. Consider this the next time you struggle to see a GP, endure hours in A&E, or face a year-long wait for a specialist appointment. Secure employment for doctors isn’t unreasonable; it’s a public health imperative.
At £22 per hour, our pay is a bargain compared to other developed nations. But the costs of *being* a doctor – indemnity fees, registration, union dues, exam fees, portfolio expenses – quickly add up to thousands of pounds annually. Without the ability to cover these costs, we can’t practice, and we desperately want to.
The government claims there’s no money for resident doctors, but investing in us is an investment in the entire system. We are striking not just for fair pay and job security, but for the working conditions that we – and our patients – deserve. It’s time for the government, and the Health Secretary, to abandon the insults and prioritize a functioning NHS.
Without resident doctors, a functioning NHS is simply impossible. The outpouring of support has been incredible. Now, we need action. The NHS is on a knife edge, and this ‘zombie cohort’ desperately needs a lifeline. Professional wellbeing and public health are inextricably linked; one cannot thrive without the other.
We cannot have good healthcare without a well-staffed, replenished NHS. It’s a fundamental truth, and one that must be addressed with urgency and genuine commitment.
