Doctors mustn’t strike

SIR – Patients come first. It is against all that I stand for as a doctor to withdraw my services for better remuneration (Letters, June 30).

The British Medical Association is not only asking doctors to go on strike but is also undermining even further public confidence in the profession.

It needs to persist in putting a good case for a reasonable rise, certainly not the 30 per cent reported, and should withdraw the threat of strike action.

Dr René Tayar

Tadworth, Surrey

SIR – The surgery that I use has five partners, seven salaried GPS and looks after 15,500 people. It is closed for an hour each lunch time, and is open a total of 43½ hours a week.

It also provides a restricted nonurgent routine service on two evenings and Saturdays. Home visits are only available for the seriously incapacitated and the surgery’s website currently states: “Due to high demand, the surgery has reached capacity and safe working levels.”

In a recent six-week period GP availability recorded on the surgery’s website shows the 12 GPS worked an average of 11 out of 43½ hours – 26 per cent of the time available. The two full-time GPS worked a minimum of 22 hours and maximum 38 hours while the 10 part-time GPS worked a minimum of 8½ hours and maximum 17 hours. These working hours are indicative of a pattern throughout the United Kingdom, judging by the widespread difficulty in seeing a doctor.

According to the website, the GPS’ average salary is £67,471. The NHS provides the surgery with a minimum of £2.7million a year, which, after £800,000 for GPS’ salaries, leaves £1.9million for overheads, staff wages and an additional partnership share for the five partners.

The self-seeking BMA demand for a 30 per cent increase in GPS’ pay should be seen in this context as unacceptable.

Robin Thompson

Ely, Cambridgeshire

SIR – You report (June 30) that the BMA is to lobby the Government to supply free abortions to American women denied one following the recent ruling by the US Supreme Court. This is the same organisation that is mobilising for a strike of doctors, and whose members have refused to see patients face to face.

That it wants to circumvent rules for foreign patients in order to end human lives free of charge is beyond parody. We are deep into a dystopian society I never thought I would see in Britain.

Dr Chris Topping

Pilling, Lancashire