London, Thanasis Gavos

Both specialist and specialist doctors are on strike in England’s NHS public health system todaydemanding higher wage increases.

The simultaneous strike has been described as “historic” as it is the first time in NHS history that both categories of doctors have walked off duty.

The qualified doctors who hold senior and managerial positions in public hospitals end their 48-hour strike today, while the interns are starting their newest three-day mobilization today.

NHS management say emergencies will be served, but warn that the strike poses an increased risk to patients by disrupting appointments, non-urgent procedures and routine services.

Since last December, frequent strikes by doctors, nurses, radiologists and ambulance crews in England have led to the postponement of nearly a million appointments and treatments, in some cases even for cancer patients.

The strikers consider the government’s offers of a 6% increase in the salaries of qualified doctors and an average 8.8% increase in the salaries of specialists as insufficient.

As they say, a decade of frozen wages means the proposed increases are not making up for lost ground. Specialists are asking for an increase corresponding to 35%, a figure which the Minister for Health Stephen Barclay has described as “absurd”.

A recent poll shows public support for the specialist doctors’ strike, 56% versus 37%. But public opinion seems to be against the strike of senior doctors, 50% versus 42%.