MILITANT resident doctors have boasted about their “ten days off” work as they prepare to strike after the Easter bank holiday.
One medic said the timing of the walkout during school holidays was very good for “saving childcare” in a damning social media post.
Another added: “This is chef’s kiss after a four-day bank holiday weekend.”
When one doctor said they were worried about turnout during the six-day walkout, another replied: “I suspect the ability to have ten days off will make turnout quite high.”
The comments were made on Reddit, where left-wing medics mobilise colleagues.
Resident doctors, previously known as juniors, walk out at 7am on Tuesday until next Monday at 7am.
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NHS England said during the Easter holiday period “staff take time to rest and recover with their families”.
But bosses of NHS trusts warn that they are particularly busy after bank holidays with more children being treated for injuries.
They are urging the public to use the NHS 111 online for non-urgent needs.
The Tories have vowed to ban strikes by all NHS doctors if they return to power.
Shadow Health Secretary Stuart Andrew said: “This is not about all doctors, but a specific group opting to strike.
“To boast about timing action around Easter to extend time off, while patients face cancellations, is completely wrong. Patients should not be treated as leverage.”
The walkout marks the medics’ 15th strike in three years in a bitter row over pay.
Last week, fed-up ministers took a key part of their offer — which included 1,000 extra training places — off the table.
The BMA rejected the offer that would have given resident doctors a pay rise of up to 7.1 per cent for this year.
The deal would have taken their total pay rise over the past three years to 35 per cent, lifting some salaries above £100,000 a year.
But the union described the offer as a “crushing blow” when inflation is set to rise because of the Iran war.