to say that I am really glad not to be in labour today

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and to feel really sorry for anyone who is. Its stressful enough without worrying about not getting help if things start to go wrong.

Why would you be concerned?

Why? If your talking about junior doctors, you do realise you will have higher consultants and higher doctors today plus all midwifes anyway as everyone not involved is pulled in. If anything you would get higher care today

I don't understand why you'd be concerned. There's consultants and registrars not to mention others who will be there.

Maternity units are fully staffed today, as they are every other day of the year. The only difference is that Consultants are carrying out tasks usually performed by junior doctors. The only difference in care that will be provided today is that you would have an entirely consultant led service. I'd be quite pleased to be giving birth today.

Seriously?

Well because I had two children. Neither births went smoothly and both ended in a caesarian followed by some time in the high dependency units for both me and DS2. Basically, I needed care beyond what a midwife could provide and everyone was at full stretch as it was.

You'd have a section performed by a consultant, assisted by a consultant and would be looked after on hdu by...a consultant!

Assume you're referring to the junior doctors' strike. Consultants are covering for the junior doctors... Do you not think that is a good arrangement?

And on a radio interview, the BMA have an agreement in place to allow junior doctors to work in cases of serious accidents (example given was if there was a multiple car crash).

FFS. Put down the Daily Mail and have my first ever

but presumably those registrars and consultants do not sit at home doing nothing on a normal day? they still have the patients that they would otherwise be with to deal with today??

I'd be worried too OP.

The only people affected adversely by the strike are those whose elective procedures or appointments have been cancelled. That is truly unfortunate. Everyone else will be receiving better medical care than on a normal day. There is evidence that mortality rates fall during strikes for this reason.

Yabu

Full service is being provided for emergency care, by non junior doctors and nurses, some of the nurses will be very senior and capable

No. There will be say 1000 consultants. 500 would usually have today off and work tomorrow. Today all 1000 will be in work.

Val - elective services such as clinics have been rearranged, and consultants who would normally be on leave/days off etc will be in.

No need to be concerned at all. All care is provided by consultants or (very senior) specialty doctors.

"There's consultants and registrars"

Just need to point out that registrars are also junior doctors and will be striking today. You are a junior doctor from the first day on the job until the day you become a consultant, so "junior" doctors are also often very senior!

FFS.

And yes lots of general appointments and surgeries a that aren't urgent will have been cancelled anyway and rescheduled, freeing up all those consultants and higher doctors for emergencies and things like labour today

Say a maternity unit usually has 3 doctors, one consultant and two junior doctors. Today there will be 3 consultants. The two extra consultants would usually have been performing elective operations or clinics or admin or be on leave.

I'd rather go into labour today. Very reassuring to think I'd be looked after directly by consultants as would baby if anything went wrong.

I have no doubt whatsoever that if they were needed in an emergency the junior doctors would leave their picket lines and do their jobs. None of them will stand back and let people die over this. Jeremy Hunt is a fucking moron.

1000 versus 500 - does that mean consultants only work 50% of the time?!

My dear friend who is a junior Dr in obs and gynae said you'd be better off going into labour today as there's consultants in the ward who would be there constantly rather than having to be called down and possibly not get there for hours. I've got 6 weeks left so hoping I don't for entirely different reasons!

You'd get cared for by the most senior doctors in hospital, who are not doing clinics or admin today to cover for emergency work.

The midwives are not striking, so no difference there.

If you need a drip putting in, a consultant will do it.

If the baby's heart rate monitor needs looking at, a consultant will do it.

If you need an epidural, a consultant will do it.

If you need a cesarean, two consultants will do the operating, assisted by a consultant anaesthetist.

If you need high dependency or intensive care, a consultant will look after you, prescribe you blood or medications.

These are the doctors with 10+yrs of experience in their field. Not so sure why you'd trust them less than the junior doctors

(and for the poster upthread - registrars ARE junior doctors, so are striking today as well).

FlyingElbows - I hope you are right. We'll know by tonight.

Am I right in thinking that a junior doctor is anyone below a consultant? YANBU op. Labour is a scary time and knowing that there are less doctors on call would frighten me. Thankfully I'm in Scotland but it's must be a frightening prospect for mothers to be