Medics use Twitter to counter Hunt’s ‘Monday to Friday’ NHS claims

Jeremy Hunt.Jeremy Hunt.
Jeremy Hunt.
DOCTORS and nurses have launched a scathing attack on Heath Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s claims there is a “Monday to Friday” culture in the NHS by posting pictures of themselves working this weekend.

Mr Hunt made the comment earlier this week as he outlined plans to impose seven-day working at hospitals across the country.

But in riposte medics have gone on Twitter to post pictures and messages showing they are working at the weekend, causing the hashtag #ImInWorkJeremy to trend on the site.

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Neurosurgeon Mark Wilson wrote on Twitter: “24 patients seen - about to do neurosurgery operation - straight 72hrs on call! #ImInWorkJeremy.”

Sebastian Nixon uploaded a photograph of himself in his green medical scrubs and wrote: “6th shift this week in the Derriford ED. Damn these lazy doctors and their extravagant weekends. #ImInWorkJeremy.”

One called Dr Scott, from Glasgow in Scotland, wrote: “Just seen the Anaesthetic, Ortho, ICU, obstetric & surgical consultants in on a Saturday at 8am. Where were you @Jeremy_Hunt? #ImInWorkJeremy.”

A medic named Erica P from Brighton tweeted a photo of herself with a stethoscope and wrote: “I’m working 13 hours today alongside 5 medical consultants in my dept #ImInWorkJeremy.”

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Another medic posted a picture of herself in her hospital uniform with the message: “Yep it’s Saturday & #ImInWorkJeremy @Jeremy_Hunt & so are the consultants. Did you know we worked unsocial hours?”

Paul Dark posted a photograph of the handover briefing at Salford Royal Hospital and wrote: “Night shift medical handover at Salford Royal NHS ICU #ImInWorkJeremy -great team great care great patient outcomes.”

The British Medical Association (BMA) accused Mr Hunt of launching “a wholesale attack on doctors” by threatening to enforce new-seven day contracts if they do not agree to work more weekends.

The doctors’ union said the ultimatum was a “blatant attempt” by the Government to distract from its “refusal to invest properly in emergency care”.

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Mr Hunt is giving the union six weeks to negotiate changes to working contracts for hospital consultants and junior doctors after claiming around 6,000 lives are lost a year for lack of senior staff on Saturdays and Sundays.

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