Doctors’ leaders call for swift Northern Ireland pay rise agreement

Tim Smith: A pay rise for GPS!? You’d be lucky to speak to one never mind see one at this time.

Andrew Cee: My local surgery is a nightmare. Chatting to a receptionist about an issue and then a further chat by phone with a doctor. Everywhere else seems to be getting back to some type of normal. Why not surgeries?

Christine Douglas: Unbelievable, while the real workers (nurses) that are worked to the limits and earn buttons and actually seeing patients every day face to face throughout Covid-19 and all the time, get absolutely nothing. An absolute disgrace.

Adrian Bloomer: The doctors and dentists were nowhere to be seen! Yes OK the doctors on Covid wards deserve everything, but honestly, GPS? Hide and seek champions.

Shirley Crawford: These are professionals after years of studying. I got seen in my practice as I get bloods done every three months. There’s no one-to-ones unless it an emergency whereas A&E is best place for you. They are not hiding, they are being cautious because of Covid- 19.

Gerard Boyle: Well it’s a good thing for everyone who is worried about their GPS getting a pay rise that they aren’t in fact included in the UK Government’s plans for a pay rise. So will likely be the same here. So all the good doctors who work in hospitals will get the rise. You can go back to pointing your pitchforks and burning torches somewhere else now. Be interested to see how you speak to your GPS when you need their help. Amazing that you think they should have just worked the same way during a worldwide pandemic, keeping surgeries open and potentially being hot spots for spreading Covid due to the volume of traffic that passes through their doors.

Kieran Coleman: Is this why they refuse to work for the NHS and rather work through private practices? Of course it is, money before people’s health.

Charlotte Ros: What about carers? No pay rise — absolute disgrace.

SJ Knox: GPS were the people who staffed Covid centres!