Struggling to make ends meet as a junior doctor. AIBU?

[HK3444]

Struggling to make ends meet. Rent has gone up, food bills are going up and struggling to support my kids.

I’m someone worked really hard through medical school, it felt like endless exams and accumulated student debt with the hope that I’d be able to support my family comfortably at the end of the degree and but also feel job satisfaction bettering the health of others.

Not sure what this was all for… can’t believe I’m in this situation as a doctor

It is such a difficult issue. Pay restoration is a fair long term target but I can't see how it is reasonable to get there in one leap when everyone is facing the squeeze, and lets face it, it comes from the tax payer £. The BMA do seem to be getting more political, and at times its leadership seems to stray into battling tories rather than resolving the issues (some may see these interchangeably but I'm not sure its helpful when trying to win over the public as a whole). The narrative jumps from doctors suffering financial hardship, to 'save the NHS' to 'Tories out'. I don't like the strikes and I know many doctors don't want to strike but don't want to be a scab either. But then again, withdrawal of their labour is their only bargaining chip, so what else are they supposed to do?

My idea of a fair solution would be a commitment for a significant yet reasonable uplift, maybe 10% similarly to Scotland, plus a 10 year or so commitment to above inflation rises of say CPI+1 OR 2%. Issues such as additional costs, exams, relocations and equipment should be rectified.

Also, I think their should be a scheme whereby a proportion of student loans be written off after a certain amount of time in the NHS. Their loyalty should be rewarded, and those that decide they fancy Australia shouldn't benefit.

You are really getting desperate now. Of course we will always have doctors!

I don't live in Wales but my understanding is that they are restricted by the funds received from the UK Tory government. They can't just decide for themselves to increase money going to the NHS by raising taxes as Scotland have done. A UK Labour government would be able to do that though.
I would also be happy for anyone earning over £45K to pay more tax if it meant junior doctors would receive a pay rise.

They have mortgages and bills as well. They are not a subspecies living on thin air.

Why?

This is a great post encapsulating my own thoughts and much of the public I imagine.

i don’t think the union leaders will give it the time of day sadly, their agenda seems to be wildly different from most of us.

I can’t be bothered to engage with this. Life is too short for such stupidity.

Given the majority of junior doctors are in their 20s and 30s they probably don't have mortgages especially as they often have to move around the country. They are young and some of the brightest in the country so will be able to get jobs elsewhere either as doctors (overseas) or they can work in different more well paid and less stressful jobs.

I don't know one person who supports them.

Stupid is thinking that people won't leave a profession or move to a different country if there are better alternatives.

"The narrative jumps from doctors suffering financial hardship, to 'save the NHS' to 'Tories out'." 🙄

You don't think these things are in any way connected? That doctors' stagnant pay is just 'one of those things' and nothing to do with the Tories? Or their covert and overt attempts to undermine and dismantle the NHS?

Nor do I. How could anyone knowingly support this knowing the harm being inflicted on injured, sick and dying patients. You would have to be pretty heartless and cold blooded.

jasflowers
The Govt has offered 3% for 2023/24

That's not correct - the government offered an additional 3% (December 2023) - on top of the pay increase earlier in the year (2023/24);

BBC
Junior doctors received a pay rise averaging nearly 9% this financial year - and during talks at the end of last year, the option of an extra 3% on top of that was discussed.

But those talks ended in early December without a deal being reached.

Oh God they're always going to work in aldi or flounce to Timbuktu.

They need to go to work and do their job before nurses do their jobs for them and it becomes clear junior drs aren't that indispensable afterall.

Plenty of people would love to live here - enjoy incredible pensions, career prospects and a guaranteed job for life it’s not all bad.

9% is incredibly generous, but it doesn’t actually seem to make a difference the union will not stop for anything.

I didn’t expect such a huge response to this thread but thank you to everyone who’s commented offering advice.

I’m a single mum and unfortunately live in an city with high rent costs, can’t move location and have no choice in this matter.

I’ve been a qualified doctor for several years but it’s taken me longer to progress in ‘seniority’ because I’ve actually had to reduce my hours to make childcare work. A large part of the problem is trying to arrange childcare for anti-social shifts. Nursery costs as well as all the hidden fees - gmc, medical defence, books, exams, equipment, conferences etc etc all to be able to get through to the next progression point are now unaffordable. This is on top of the significant debt from university

I’ve struggled to read several of the comments on the thread and I’m sorry to all those who are suffering in today’s nhs. I applied to university over a decade ago when things were very different. It truly just feels like hopeless firefighting these days and every year seems to get worse

But it isn't a guaranteed job for life - having to re apply every two to three years and changing hospitals every three to six months

So you work part time. Thank you for clarifying. It must be all but impossible to manage on part time money managing alone with two children? Is the father of the dc not paying CM? He should be.

I don’t know anyone that could manage on part time hours to be honest in any profession and not struggle financially. It’s a crap situation you have been left with.

Lies, damn lies and statistics...... There is a massive shortage of doctors. £63K for a dr in core training - not unless they are working nights, 60 hours and after at least 5 years at university, 2 Foundation years and 3 years of Core training. The media is doing its nasty work for the government.

I blame the Tories for the harm for refusing to negotiate.

My dh works 80 hours a week. I don’t think 60 is terrible.

They were negotiating as of two world ago and offered 9%

Then it’s strange the BMA not only gave it the time of day, but accepted it and called off the strikes in Scotland, isn’t it?