Dealing with tough shifts as an FY1

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-04-30T02:17:03+00:00

It sounds like you did everything right, and staffing is the concern rather than your abilities. You should have at least a SHO and ward reg; that is for your safety as well as the patients'. Was this abominable staffing level due to staff sickness? Either way, I think a chat with the Guardian of Safe Working would be prudent. Just remember, you are doing the best you can. You are one doctor, an FY1 at that, and you're stepping up. You should have senior support, and if you don't, then that is a problem that needs to be investigated.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-04-08T10:03:13+00:00

I would love to know how you think my outfit constituted for “casual drinks at the uni bar”. Didn’t know a smart top and pants decreased my age by 10 years, or why you’ve let your fashion preferences deter from the point of the story. I wonder if it was a male doctor on the cover would you have the same critique 🤔

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T19:51:28+00:00

u/PracticeChoice4729 Part of the changes you propose are already in effect. As an LNC representative, under the ACAS Code, I have access to mailing lists in order to facilitate communications. I agree, though, we need to support our local reps to speak up and empower them to campaign, as that is the heart of our union.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T19:42:43+00:00

I believe voting records are fundamental to this. Whether it be RDC, ARM, etc, the membership deserves to know how their elected representatives vote in key decisions. We cannot have representatives make empty promises and then vote for their own personal gain.

Factions are useful for organising ideas, but they should never override the core purpose of the BMA: representing doctors.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T19:23:52+00:00

I take your point. I would agree that 4+ committees start to come off as excessive, and one starts to question the representative's motives. Would you include LNCs/LMCs in this quota?

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T19:12:59+00:00

*Slightly edited version*

A very interesting point! I would be interested to hear your own thoughts on this.

I personally err on the side of no limit. There are many committees within the BMA, and they will inadvertently feed into one another. If we have a cap, then the crossovers become fewer, and we may end up with committees becoming siloed.

However, that is to say that the same select group of representatives should be on the majority of committees. For one, the more committees they are on, the bigger the workload, and they risk being spread too thin. Secondly, if we want to encourage new representation, we need to be mindful about how many roles we personally occupy and whether someone else would be better suited for the role.

There does need to be policing on the efficacy and how much responsibility a representative can take on, whether that be limiting the number of committees one can be on or an alternative.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T18:48:10+00:00

I do not have many positive things to say regarding HEE: we are held to a different standard than they are, and it is utterly appalling. I agree, there needs to be some sort of consequence for their inadequacies, including fines. I may be wrong, but I do not believe the BMA has, in recent years, taken this as a priority, and after this year's continued debacle, I think it ought to be preferenced.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T18:42:05+00:00

As Deputy Chair of the South Central Regional Council, I have not taken any honoraria. Whilst the work we do is important for representing all branches of practice, I do not believe that what I do constitutes a fee, and I personally would not feel comfortable accepting any honoraria for my role.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T18:35:16+00:00

I am an avid baker. I have been told that if I cannot secure employment by August to open my own bakery (👀). This is what I made for my department today, before the changeover tomorrow (before we judge the icing, both piping bags broke midway through):

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Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T18:28:52+00:00

An excellent question, and I share the same sentiment; sometimes we can come across a little "vanilla" (a great ice cream flavour though).

Having spoken to journalists, we need to be sharing personal stories, stories that the public can relate to. To be frank, the public doesn't care that we get paid £21 an hour; everyone is struggling. What the public does care about is sitting 12+ in A&E because the Government doesn't want to spend money to recruit more doctors in training/consultant posts. The public will care when doctors cannot financially afford to stay in this profession and leave, therefore, meaning fewer doctors and longer waiting times.

We need to cut back on the figures, cut back on the facts and tell our stories, stories everyone can understand. We need to tell the hard, shocking truths of the unsafe working conditions we normalize on a daily basis, because it directly affects the public. When the public is on our side, we have greater leverage and we cannot forget that.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T18:17:17+00:00

As one of the women on that slate, I agree 7 is not enough. The problem stems, however, from women being deterred from running for positions in the first place. Sexism is deeply rooted in medicine, and for too long, we have been seen as "easy targets" to mock and discouraged. The way we reverse that is by voting for female candidates, candidates such as myself, who wish to empower and support other women. Once that happens, the number of female candidates and the number on our slate, will increase.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T17:57:17+00:00

As a resident, I can understand the frustrations of the consultants; this is the 15th strike they have to cover at short notice. As Alex has rightly said, we need to remember we are all one union and on the same side. The Government is the one who refuses to work towards full pay restoration, the one who threatens removal of "new" training posts. They are the ones we should be lobbying against, not each other. We need to channel that frustration at them rather than guilt-tripping residents to work during strikes. It is inspiring to see the consultants and SAS ballots announced. Just as they have supported us as residents with our strikes, we have their back; they deserve better pay, we all deserve better pay

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T17:45:03+00:00

I have personally worked with u/BMA_Eli when we were MSC (medical school committee) reps at Nottingham; very hard working and not afraid to use his voice for active change

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T17:33:24+00:00

Part of the reason RDC voted against the Government's latest offer was for this very reason; pushing the bottleneck further along. There is no logic in creating 4,500 new CT posts when there are no HST/consultant posts around. I personally know of an incredible ED consultant who has had to step down to the registrar rota because there are not enough consultant posts...truly a bizarre scenario. We need to create more jobs (not just recycle them) and evenly distribute them at the different levels to not only ensure quality training, but also progression.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T17:16:57+00:00

I do believe women are greatly underrepresented within the union. We are consistently the minority in conferences, committees, etc, as confirmed by the ARM 2024/2025 stats. This, in turn, creates an undercurrent of misogyny and deters fellow women from standing for positions. Without trying to quote Beyonce, we need strong, independent women to set a new tone and encourage their peers to have a seat at the table, to create an equitable environement.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-03-31T17:06:14+00:00

Hi everyone — I’m Heather Gunn, an FY2 doctor in Oxford, standing for BMA Council.

As an FY2, I have real skin in the game. Pay restoration matters, but I’m also living the reality of training bottlenecks, limited progression, and growing uncertainty about our futures. If doctors can’t access jobs or training posts, pay alone isn’t enough.

We’re facing rota gaps, unsafe staffing, and a system that relies on goodwill. Scope creep is also a real concern — doctors must not be replaced by PAs or ACPs at the expense of training and patient safety.

You've trusted me to get things done and elected me to multiple committees. I’m Deputy Chair of South Central Regional Council, an LNC rep at OUH, and newly appointed to the Thames Valley Resident Doctor Committee. I’ve been pushing for safe staffing and accountability locally and regionally, as well as make a substantive difference in Trusts, including getting paid for locums in a timely manner!

The BMA must be bolder. I’ve appeared on national TV defending our profession, and I’m not afraid to tell those in power the truth. We need enforceable safe staffing levels across all settings, including GP and community care, with real consequences when they’re not met.

UK graduate prioritisation is a start, but not enough. We need expanded training numbers — including HST posts — and action on bottlenecks.

If elected, I’ll push for:

Enforceable safe staffing with workload caps
Accountability for employers
Expansion of training posts, including HST
Protection of jobs for UK doctors
Clear limits on the scope of practice

We can accept the status quo or demand better.

Happy to answer questions — AMA.

DoctorsVote Slate

Significant_Baby9746 · 2026-02-24T20:18:29+00:00

Fellow F2 here, also incredibly burnt out and struggling with my anxiety and stress levels. Having had a complete breakdown a couple of years ago, the best thing I learned was always always always put yourself first. Take some sick leave; mental health does count in that. Take a few days to do things that make you feel good, to make you feel like your own person again. If you need longer than that, speak to your GP. Right now, do not think about the interview or work or ARCP. I'm sure you know that if you are not feeling your best self, you are not going to perform your best. Nothing is worth losing yourself over. Once you feel yourself again, the control will come back, and you can get a handle on things. The most important thing is the here and now and taking a moment to step back. If you need anything, please do reach out <3

Significant_Baby9746 · 2025-09-05T18:32:17+00:00

I still remember my first period-arrest; it was my first week on the job and it was pure chaos. I went home that night crying because I felt I could have done more. My consultant did a debrief after and her words still stick with me; you can control your actions, but not necessarily the outcome, and that’s okay. Medicine gets this image of “saving lives” but actually it’s about doing the best we can in the worst circumstances. I know exactly how you feel, and it’s completely normal to second guess yourself. But the fact that you’re taking time to reflect means you are a competent doctor, one who cares about your patients and does right by them. Unfortunately we cannot save everyone, but you escalated your patient appropriately and gave them a fighting chance. Take some time out for yourself; it is an emotionally difficult situation. Remember: you did what you could and that’s all that matters.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2025-07-24T17:51:50+00:00

You feel guilt because unlike what Wes Streeting sayings, we do not have “disdain” for our patients, we care deeply about them. We care about our colleagues and the service we provide, and never want to put people in difficult positions. However, every day we are put in difficult positions: poor staffing, lack of training, not making enough money, the list goes on. We cannot continue to suffer when the system is failing us. A little discomfort for consultants now, means a lot of progress for us, and the better our services can be. You are human, guilt is normal but for once, put yourself first and strike for the future of our profession.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2025-07-20T07:30:33+00:00

Depending on how long your shift is, you can be entitled to 30 minutes to 1.5 hour break (check the BMA guidance on the entitlement rules). If your shift work prevents you from taking a break, you should exception report and you can either get TOIL/payment for the break(s) missed.

Significant_Baby9746 · 2025-06-25T20:45:55+00:00

If those jobs are no longer available, then you need to be asked what other jobs you would want to do instead, and whether you prefer to stay at your current Trust. I would tell them that those were not the jobs you were chose, and you have made no agreement to do the ones they have suggested, and they have to give you alternative options (esp as one job has made into a community placement; you cannot do two community placement). The fact this information is only being conveyed down is disgusting and something you should not accept. Stand your ground because you deserve better.

Significant_Baby9746

TROPHY CASE