Opinion: Why the health strikes raise red flags

Nurses say they have been "pushed far enough" in the dispute over pay and working conditions, and are calling on the Government to "open their eyes" and "take responsibility for patient safety".

In health we talk about ‘red flags’. They are markers of something potentially sinister going on. Maybe a sign that someone could have cancer, or significant infection. When we notice red flags, we are careful to investigate deeper, to exclude anything nasty, or to start treatment quickly.

The nurses, and junior doctor strikes raise a big red flag for me. I can’t comment on strikes in other fields, but I think I have a reasonable understanding of health care. I was a junior doctor for 10 years, and now a senior doctor for 17 years.

People generally go into healthcare because they want to spend their time and effort helping others and working to making life better for people. Very occasionally you see a highly paid GP or consultant getting greedy and pursuing a money-making avenue. But to be honest there are much easier ways to make money if that’s your prime aim, and certainly not as a nurse or junior doctor.

There can be (and should be) a strong sense of pride and shared purpose working for the NHS. When you feel part of system that is respected and valued, appreciated, it carry’s you through long and gruelling hours. Dealing with life and death, fear, anxiety, despair, is draining. Of course, there are the joys of seeing people recover, learn and grow too, but no doubt health care is often high emotion stuff.

The feeling that you are contributing to a ‘higher cause’, part of a grand team effort, is far more rewarding than a large pay packet. But when the quality of the job gets eroded, when you are unable to do what you feel is a meaningful job, when you face aggression, and abuse, complaints, and anger, that’s when you tune into your wage. It becomes the default marker of value in a system that no longer seems to appreciate your efforts.

I think these strikes are a red flag for the relationship between the workforce, the patients they serve and the public. It’s a really sad reflection of how that dynamic has been broken. Staff are unable to do the job they know they really should be doing, to deliver the top-quality care they would like to give. Patients feel that, and get angry and frustrated, and demanding. Its understandable, but not what anyone wants.

I think it should worry us all. We should quickly look deeper and investigate why? Having enough time and resources is of course key, as is fair level of pay. The under investment in the NHS since 2010 is a major factor, and we have to consider if this style of decision-making works for us.

The role that we all play in our relationship with the NHS is key too. There will never be enough health resources for everything to be done for or to everyone. We all have to look at what we can contribute. There is much we can do to look after ourselves and each other. As NHS staff I think we also need to get better at supporting people to do that well. Mutual appreciation and recognition of these efforts will help rebuild the relationship. I think this is the real reward most healthcare workers pursue. They want fair pay, but most importantly, a meaningful job they are able to do well.