Back the doctors

• ON Friday morning, the last day of the latest three-day cycle of strikes, I visited the “junior” doctors at the Whittington Hospital to express my support for their fight.

I learnt that “junior” doctors is a misnomer because many of them have been doctors for many years and it is only the lack of posts that prevents them becoming consultants.

Also, regrettably, many are leaving the National Health Service, some to go abroad, as encouraged by, for example, Australia which has had representatives visiting the picket lines. This is leading to the degradation of our NHS with consequences for us as patients.

Unless the government is prepared to negotiate realistically I believe that there will be more strikes. Should that happen I would urge you to visit the picket line at your nearest hospital and support our doctors.

Meanwhile I think that we should be telling our MPs, that is Sir Keir Starmer, Tulip Siddiq and Emily Thornberry (all shadow ministers) that we support our NHS staff and we expect them also to express their support!

I have omitted Jeremy Corbyn from the list because, for well-known reasons, he’s not a shadow minister and I am sure that he doesn’t need to be reminded of our requirements of him as an MP; which I hope he will continue to be for as long as he wishes.

PHILIP RICHARDS, N19