AS junior doctors in Bolton prepare to go on strike next week over the government’s plan to bring in new contracts, political reporter Liam Thorp speaks to one doctor about her fears for the future of the NHS and her sadness at the current situation

Dr Leanne Darwin will not be going to work on Tuesday — she will be doing something she never imagined in her career as a doctor and taking to the picket line.

The 34-year-old registrar anaesthetist will join others at the Royal Bolton Hospital in protesting against government plans to bring in new working contracts after the British Medical Association reported an overwhelming vote by its members in favour of strike action.

Doctors are unhappy with plans to extend the unsociable hours they work and remove contractual safeguards protecting them from working excessive hours, along with other proposed measures.

Dr Darwin, who recently re-joined the Royal Bolton for a second stint as part of her rotation, said patient safety is her top concern.

She said: “The new contracts will remove the safeguarding of doctors hours and there is no good reason to do that and it will affect the safety of our patients.

“We already work long hours, weekends and nights and there is no issue with that — but we don’t want to do more unsociable hours and take home less money for it.

“Things are stretched very tight at the moment and these new terms would question whether we would be able to make it work at all.”

The 34-year-old doctor, who will become a consultant next summer, said the debate has far-reaching ramifications for the future of the National Health Service.

She said: “It is about retention and recruitment of staff, especially in crucial specialisms like accident and emergency.

“I am worried about the future of the NHS, I am also concerned as a patient and as a mother of a 4-year-old — I am worried that the NHS won’t be there for her in the future.”

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has agreed to talks on the issue with conciliation service Acas, but Dr Darwin said his threat to impose the contracts next summer regardless undermines any negotiations.

She said: “It just makes a mockery of the whole process that he has not removed that threat — we want him to relent on that first and then we can look at what we feel are the most negative aspects of the new contracts.”

Dr Darwin, who lives in Sale, will be one of the stewards at the picket line on Tuesday, as doctors protest outside the Royal Bolton Hospital from 8am until 12.30pm and potentially longer into the afternoon.

Following this, there are set to be two full walk-outs on December 8 and 16.

She said strike action is “absolutely the last resort,” and added: “When I was applying to medical school 17 years ago, I never imagined I would be sat here making placards and preparing to go on strike — but it is something we feel we have to do.

“I didn’t think it would ever get this far and I am very sad that it has but this is about the future of our National Health Service.”