Streeting Slams Doctors' Strike Costs

0:00On April 7, Health Secretary Westreeding is calling out striking resident doctors for trying to fleece taxpayers with pay demands that could run. 30 billion pounds a year. There's six day walk-out kicked off at 7 a.m. today, canceling appointments and leaving some patients in pain longer than needed. Over the last three years, these strikes have already burned through 3 billion pounds in loss work and overtime for cover staff. Doctors have picketed 60 days across 15 rounds. Each day costing 50 million pounds that could have built hospitals or cut waiting lists. Patients are feeling the hit hard. One guy in Nottinghamshire had his stroke follow-up canceled twice and worries about a full stroke hitting before he gets seen. NHS England says it's tough, but emergency rooms are open and surprisingly they sometimes run smoother with senior doc stepping in. The doctors rejected a government deal last month for a 4.9% rise, pushing their total over 3 years to 35%. Plus thousands of new training spots worth over 100,000 pounds a year for some.

1:05Streeting calls the British Medical Association in Transigen, especially after they gave their own staff just 2.75% citing affordability. Meanwhile, the government scrapped those new training positions as strikes made them unfeasible, but they're pushing to keep core services rolling while urging both sides back to talks before more damage piles up.