March 17/3/07

Great turnout for the MARCH on Saturday. I was pleased to see so many doctors uniting in protest against the shambles that is MMC/MTAS. I was delighted to be wrong in assuming that the only a few hundred of us would show up. It was a pleasure marching alongside Dr D&C, Layla and many of my anonymous blogging colleagues. Having spent the previous night getting caned with a Welsh dragon, D&C and I were particularly tired but after a strong coffee we were on our way. Here’s a video I shot at some point:

Unfortunately the event has been hijacked by David ‘son-of-Tony’ Cameron and his image consultants, but without him I fear the media coverage would have been minimal.

We await the outcome of the government’s review into the whole mess. We also await the emergence of Patricia Hewitt from under her rock so we can get rid of her once and for all - click here for some ideas on how we could do it.

Patricia Hewitt pictured on the march

Nice of the BMA to put their logo on a few placards and 'support' the march. If only they had been kind enough to support us over the last 3 years whilst we have been waiting for MMC/MTAS to be thrust upon us. If they had organised a march themselves LAST YEAR instead of simply jumping on Remedy UK’s bandwagon then something might actually have been done. Still, I’m sure they enjoyed all their committee meetings and canapés. I’ve decided to calculate how much money I haven’t paid the BMA in subscriptions over the last few years and donate it all to Remedy UK.

I still think the only way to get anything done now is for junior doctors (and ideally senior ones as well) to STRIKE. CLICK HERE FOR A GUIDE. That isn’t going to happen though. I am Dr Vegas’ apathy.