Dr Johann Malawana, Northwick Park Junior Doctors’s Strike
Dr Johann Malawana is the man with his finger on the pulse fighting for Junior Doctors challenging Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on “enforced” contracts which would change doctors working hours putting patients at risk and alter rates of pay. He is an NHS Obstetric Registrar who chairs the British Medical Association’s (BMA) Junior Doctors Committee (JDC) and is on the frontline of campaigning, protecting their rights.
See earlier article,
“Junior doctors chant ‘Hunt Must Go’ and ‘Not Hunt’s Slaves’ as masked protest takes to the streets of London”
Recently some media have gone on the attack highlighting that aside from his medical profession Malawana also has a business and photographs weddings at week-ends. The BMA states (according to the Daily Mail) it is a “‘a small company’ and only takes on a handful of small jobs each year.” Part of the doctors’ dispute relates to conditions for those working week-ends. As the Mail states, “under the proposed contract weekday evenings and Saturdays will be reclassified as part of the normal working week.” See following for Daily Mail article,
How a person spends their time off is up to individual choice and should not concern others unless it is illegal. Maligning someone for their hard work says much about the publication which often maligns those not in a position to work.
Marion Gillivray Harrison who worked at Get A Life charity, which promotes well being and adapting life skills after becoming disabled” leapt to Malawana’s defence. She posted the following statement on social media praising the skills and care shown by the doctor stating,
“Dr Johann Malawana has been on the news a lot today. He’s the chair of the Junior Doctor’s Committee at the BMA. I’ve seen some despicable things written about him in the right wing media and I take it very personally. You see, he’s the man who delivered my distressed baby into this world, who’d already paged a paediatric team to check him over straight away. He’s the same doctor who stemmed the substantial haemorrhage I suffered directly after giving birth, hitting the emergency alarm but still keeping me calm as the room filled with people. The same man who, ten hours after delivering my son and many more after beginning his shift, came to see me in HDU, just to check how me and James were doing before he went home to try to catch Usain Bolt in the 100M final, a race I know he’ll have missed because he stayed to chat with us. Until today, we’d all just assumed he was a consultant. But he isn’t. He’s a registrar. A junior doctor. The most incredible, talented, hard working, empathetic, reassuring, passionate doctor you could ever wish to meet. #saveournhs “
Johann Malawana made the following comments on Twitter in relation to the junior doctors’ contact
14 chief execs have distanced themselves from yesterday’s statement. Interesting how much government commands the confidence of the NHS
Time for leaders across the medical profession to stand up for their junior doctors. #notoimposition
U.K. has 2 choices. 1. Cut services in healthcare to fit budget. 2. Provide the budget to fit healthcare we want. Honest debate is needed
Comments on the enforced contract on social media
Posted by Sarah Tranter, Big Up The NHS Network
“Obviously, none of the current Doctors are going to sign Jeremy Hunt’s new contract of employment. But it will be very hard for the new intake of junior doctors to refuse to sign this new contract. They have just spent years training and desperately want to make their way in the medical world, and gain experience. It is shameful of this government to put these new recruits under this kind of pressure at this most stressful and vulnerable of times.”
Andy Halfajob Cowley
“From this August a junior Doctor earning £23000 a year, equates to £442.30 a week. if they manage to stick to 56 hours (highly unlikely) that’s just £7.89 an hour. As of April next year Ikea staff paid £7.85/hr, Aldi £8.40/hr, Lidl and Morrisons £8.20/hr. This really brings it home how much our Health Secretary values Junior Doctors, when they can quit and go earn more per hour stacking tins of beans at their local Aldi and only have to work 52hrs to earn the same yearly salary and saving themselves 4 hrs a week, not pay £420/- to the GMC, save money on paying the professional indemnity insurance and BMA fees. Why stay a doctor in the NHS?”
Arjun Samuel
Posted by Emma Lawson
“First thought is “Is he taking the p**s?”.
But of course he’s much, much more manipulative than that-he’s just trying to disguise and minimise the true intent behind the junior doctors contract by immersing it under the umbrella of “genuine” concerns and worries about the state of the NHS. You’re not that bright Hunt! (That’s my take on it anyway.)”
Donna Whaley
“Very sad that things have deteriorated to this level. Perhaps Hunt and his government ostriches will wake up when we have no doctors left in the country.”
Pamela Coles
“It amazes me that he can be so brazen about his lies – why arent MP’s wages, benefits like 2nd homes & expenses being reviewed and if we need 24 hour cover for main services why do MP ‘s not work 7 days.”
Dawn Faulkner
“Thatcher wanted to break the miners to show how strong she was. Cameron want’s his legacy to be the breaking of the BMA”
Michael Wheeler
Links
“Jeremy Hunt’s statement on the Junior Doctors’ contract”
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/jeremy-hunt-updates-parliament-on-the-junior-doctors-contract
“Junior doctors’ row: NHS chiefs speak out over letter”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35557135
“Jeremy Hunt cancels drinks event after junior doctors plan to show up and ask him questions”
Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.
Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog 