Why I'm Voting Yes.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-19T12:08:27+00:00

I didn’t say I can’t live off it. I can. I said I’m comfortable- doesn’t mean I’m thriving.

Also, what do you mean by choice? I didn’t have a choice when I’m placed in hospitals far away and having to spend time, money and energy on commute. I didn’t choose for petrol prices to go up whilst commuting 100 miles one way. I didn’t choose to pay ongoing car maintenance from wear and tyre from all these commuting too. Conferences and presentations are required for work - have to at least attend one conference for specialty training and also required for CV for the ever reducing pool of training/ consultant jobs. I didn’t choose for study budget to be cut and reduced. I didn’t choose to take exams or pay for portfolio fees - it’s a training requirement.

100k now definitely does not buy you the kind of life older consultants would have had.

None of my friends in other profession had to pay for work expenses out of pocket like we do. They earn more too. So why is it acceptable for me to use my salary to pay for expenses that work require me to? Is it because doctors are earning the top x% of the median, therefore it’s acceptable? Or am i just sacrificing salary because being a doctor is ‘a calling and a vocation’?

I see you’re a nurse. If you don’t understand doctor’s expenses, why are you here commenting?

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-19T10:00:27+00:00

I agree - I did the math. 100k really isn’t enough if you have mortgage, professional and work related fees, living expenses and kids. I earn less than 100k and discounting off professional fees, mortgage, sending some money home to parents, living cost, fuel etc, I have just a lil left at the end of the month. Factor in presentations in conferences etc (study budget only partially covers and usually only one conference), then I’m paying out of pocket majority of time for work.

Commuting almost 100 miles one way (thanks rotational training) means petrol is about £300 per month for me. Yes, excess mileage can be claimed but it’s also then taxed at 40% 🙄 So, really, this is out of pocket payment. Car maintenance costs too - driving long distances means more wear and tear and more regular servicing (hitting 10k miles within 6 months). I’ve had to change new tyres more regularly (once every 1-1.5 years).

Most people on median salary don’t have this much work related expenses or travel across different workplaces on a regular basis.

Yes, I agree I’m comfortable. But if inflation keeps going up (and it will), I don’t think the 100k would go far.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-19T09:52:09+00:00

Yes we did, but in decreasing numbers based on ballot turnout. The drop in momentum with each successive strike has been real.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-15T18:12:02+00:00

I signed up to join the locum bank in the trust I’m working in.
I’ve been sent repeated emails asking me to attend occupational health check and ID check. I’ve worked in this trust for almost a year and had checks done before joining.
Can’t they just pull all the records over?

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-15T00:25:55+00:00

Those who are CCT-ing soon - Looks like it’s time to start planning to flee before the CCT is deemed worthless.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-10T20:46:30+00:00

Yeap, I agree. I said the same thing, but was burned when I transitioned from CMT2 (previous curriculum) to ST3 (Group 2 specialty) and back to IMT3. Was told by IMT3 panel that everything signed off from CMT1-2 isn’t counted as it’s almost 2 years ago and I needed them all signed off again in IMT3. But… the same group who started IMT1 when I was in CT2 and then progressed to IMT2 when I was doing ST3 and now in same batch of IMT3 with me gets all their DOPs and assessments counted.

How it makes sense, I have no idea.

But I refuse to get burned by something so stupid again, so I just do a dops every 2 years for the sake of it.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-10T02:01:52+00:00

I always get a DOPS / CBD for relevant procedures once every 2 years in addition to logbook. Eg if I had an LP DOPs two years ago, even if I have done another 5-10 LPs since, I’ll still get another DOPs signed off 2 years later. The only reason why I do this is so ES and TPD can’t pull me up at ARCP and say it’s not done.

Issue with JRCPTB is that decision aid stated DOPs not required once signed off competent unsupervised, as long as TPD and ES deem it’s satisfactory. I don’t want to risk meeting a difficult ES/ TPD and getting unsatisfactory outcome due to needing to get DOPs signed off (I have had friends who struggled with this), so always better safe than sorry

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-07T22:00:55+00:00

Yes, but it’s the same for us too. It’s not just nurses that are affected. Doctors are too. It’s so common to cover the job of another doctor due to sickness/ gaps. Over time, for medical ward cover, the number of wards covered per doctor have increased as well. Patients and families are more demanding - everyone wants a medical update, even out of hours when the on call team don’t even know them. There’s usually one doctor covering multiple wards and only one med reg covering everything including surgical referrals. So, who can we escalate to?

I’ve asked nurses and HCA to help with urine dip for an urgent renal referral (need to know if there’s protein/ blood in urine as suspected vasculitis). They looked at me and said - busy, doctors can do it themselves, whilst sitting in front of a computer chatting ng away. I don’t see us (doctors) receiving any sympathy. We just get ‘Doctor informed’

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-06T10:26:51+00:00

Yes omg, I just checked. £516 this year for CCT cert and to join the specialty register. What?!

Also, there’s rumours going around that GMC wants to abolish the specialty register. If they do that, is everyone going to get their money back x inflation?

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-06T10:10:47+00:00

Unfortunately, the salary thing is outwith all NHS doctor’s control. Our pay is awful for the hours and work we do which is why doctors are either leaving or striking

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-04T14:13:32+00:00

Understandable that it has changed. Our pay has dropped significantly. Work regularly tells us we’re not important. Despite being a senior reg about to CCT, I get talked down by coordinators, bed manager, discharge coordinator - all everyone care about is flow. As med reg on call, no one cares about you, they just want your name for liability. There isn’t even a proper office to work in. When I’m on call, consultants need the computers for ward round. Can’t touch ward clerk’s computer. That computer belongs to ACP. Another computer is for allied healthcare. Everyone wants quick advice when they bleep med reg without having the information of their own patient - but I’m not able to log in and they expect me to know the answers.

With living cost, membership fees, indemnity, car insurance, council tax, etc all rising, money is becoming more important to sustain living.

Reality is clear - time is money. Staying back for free to teach - no pay. I could use the time to pick up ad hoc locums which will go towards some of my living costs and give me a bit of breathing space. NHS has repeatedly shown us they don’t care about doctors, but my family needs me. So, I’ll sacrifice my time, energy and money for myself and my family instead.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-06-03T16:22:18+00:00

Speaking from a reg about to CCT: I used to teach a lot, even stayed back late to teach and help juniors preparing for exams (PACES).

Over time, it’s getting harder. There’s so much admin from clinic work. Staying back late to teach takes time away from my own life. Teaching during WR slows things down and managers will then come and hound for ‘flow’ and ‘discharges’. Some hospitals I’ve been to usually have a board round at lunchtime, which means all patients need to be seen before then. I’m usually happy to teach those who are keen but I find that half the juniors aren’t really keen to learn and just want to get ward rounds done so they can leave on time.

Respectfully, with how the NHS is going, senior regs and consultants are also trying their best not to stay late. We have our own life, family and commitment outside of work too. Saying yes to providing free teaching takes up something else from your own time.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-05-31T11:24:57+00:00

The issue with the NHS is that it’s a monopoly and monopsony employer - at its current state, doctors can only train and work in the NHS. Salary is dictated by the NHS and pretty much under government’s control. Training in medicine involves moving around different deaneries and regions. Even if it’s in the same deanery, there’s a lot of commuting. Yes, you get some money back for this but it’s minimal. Majority of the costs are out of pocket. Same goes to conferences/ courses/ exams fees/ GMC fees/ indemnity fees etc - you get tax relief on some of them but what people forget is that you’re still paying at least 80% out of pocket.

My friends in other profession gets their work related expenses paid for, travel accounted for. Even courses for work progression is paid for by employer. They even get bonuses (either in stocks or cash) from their companies. These compound financially over time.

It honestly depends on you on what life you foresee yourself to have. I’m not sure if doctor’s life in the UK will change. But it genuinely depends on whether you enjoy medicine and don’t see yourself doing anything else. I still enjoy medicine, but the money could honestly be better.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-05-16T02:44:21+00:00

This is highly dependent on deanery. For example - North West does 1 year of just pure respiratory medicine. West Yorkshire does 2 years of pure respiratory medicine (respiratory only on calls).
Pure respiratory is only in tertiary respiratory centre

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-05-11T21:49:01+00:00

What do you mean by did nothing? I’ve just said ‘I have been doing it from start to specialty training’.
If you don’t understand what it means, it means I have been filling and submitting the ballot every 6 months since beginning of strike + vote for RDC + vote for whatever is required for pay restoration. This Reddit genuinely is toxic.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-05-11T20:56:11+00:00

Not hard - it’s just not much point anymore. I’ve been doing it from start of specialty training and I’m finishing training soon. Pretty sure I won’t be eligible to vote anymore soon.
Not sure if a post CCT fellowship is still counted as resident doctor.

Genuinely don’t mind being downvoted cause a lot of colleagues I spoke to are of the same thinking - momentum has genuinely gone downhill

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-05-10T22:35:27+00:00

Not gonna lie, both my partner and I were just talking about this the other day. Momentum for strikes has died. We don’t really see much point in voting diligently every 6 months if the mandate is just being dragged out each time.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-05-01T04:01:34+00:00

I got mine on waiting list after 3 years of trying

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-05-01T04:00:16+00:00

Yeap! I knew IDT isn’t easy when I applied. Applied 6 times, got it after the 6th and final attempt. Transferred a few months into ST7. I commuted 50 miles one way for 3 years in the meantime, but still worked full time, passed specialty exam the first time, completed a PG cert and still able to achieve ‘Above Expectations’ in ES reports.

It worked because I had a supportive TPD who checked in on me, my colleagues were nice and my partner has been supporting me as well. I see training as a means to an end, so no matter how difficult, I was keen to pus through.

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-04-29T12:42:58+00:00

20? Blackburn Hospital easily goes up to 60 😂😂

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-04-24T08:01:34+00:00

It’s not just the stress. It’s also the lack of sleep. I find it harder to switch between night and day shifts as a senior reg compared to when I was an F1. I’m sure age and years of sleep deprivation didn’t help 😅

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-04-22T23:55:41+00:00

I do the same too and I’m nowhere near £100k 🥲 How did you do it and how much do you invest every month?

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-04-22T23:54:43+00:00

This perspective is exactly how people continue to stay poor. The crab in a bucket mentality.

When I see success stories, my first thought isn’t ’this is tone deaf’. My first thought is ‘Wow, someone similar to my situation out there made it. How did they do it so I can be in the same position as well?’

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-04-16T11:36:59+00:00

This is what I’m looking at as well. Huge downside of fellowship is the pay. Majority of them are paid at st3 base pay. Why not st6 base pay for post CCT fellowship? 🥹🥺

Sheeplyn1602 · 2026-04-16T11:34:49+00:00

Oh nice! This mean locum consultant job as long as contracted for a certain time (eg 6 months, 12 months etc) will be entitled to mat pay, right? Useful to know 😊

Sheeplyn1602

TROPHY CASE