A militant leader of England’s junior doctors has gone on holiday – just as his colleagues launched the most disruptive strike in NHS history, the Mail can reveal.
Dr. Robert Laurenson played a key role in planning the devastating 96-hour industrial action.
But when the strike started at 07:00 yesterday, he was absent as he had already booked time to attend a friend’s wedding.
While colleagues will lose money for participating in the promotion, it is believed that Dr. Laurenson is on annual leave and will not be penalized.
Up to 47,600 doctors in private practice have thrown the healthcare system into chaos with the strike.
Dr. Robert Laurenson (pictured right) played a key role in planning the devastating 96-hour industrial dispute
Up to 47,600 doctors in private practice have thrown the healthcare system into chaos with the strike
They are refusing to cover all services, including A&E and cancer care, as they seek a 35 per cent pay rise worth up to £20,000.
Health bosses warn the strike is putting lives at risk and say it will take weeks to reschedule the 350,000 appointments and operations expected to be postponed.
The British Medical Association website tells young doctors they will lose their pay if they don’t show up during their shift on strike days.
It admits it will be “difficult” to lose wages, but is still encouraging members to join the strike, saying: “If we don’t fight to defend our wages now, we will have a lot more in the future lose.” .’
However, she also emphasizes that doctors “must be” if they have booked the free time as vacation time, and notes that they “should not be called to work” during annual vacation time.
DR Laurenson, 28, is co-chairman of the British Medical Association’s Junior Doctors Committee, which supported strikes and refused to exempt emergency departments from the action.
The doctor-in-training, who is also a director of his parents’ multimillion-dollar investment company, was one of the BMA delegates at pay talks with health secretary Steve Barclay last month.
Talks collapsed within half an hour, with Whitehall sources saying the union “intended to fight” and refused to give in to calls for a 35 per cent rise.
A BMA spokesperson said last night: “Dr. Laurenson is free this week to fulfill a long-standing commitment to attend a family friend’s wedding. He remains actively involved in the preparation of the litigation and we expect him to do media work.’
The BMA yesterday threatened further measures if the ministers did not agree to its demands. Dr Vivek Trivedi, the other co-chairman of BMA’s Young Doctors Committee, said: “Strikes are by their very nature designed to be disruptive, to put pressure on the government to come to the negotiating table.”
The British Medical Association website tells junior doctors they will lose their pay if they don’t turn up during their shift on strike days
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director of the NHS in England, told Times Radio: “This is … probably the most disruptive phase of action in the history of the NHS.
“Our focus was on looking after absent doctors in training – they make up half of the medical staff.
“The staff providing the coverage cannot be in two places at once, causing inconvenience and cancellations I’m afraid.”
Asked to comment that the strike would cause disruption for at least a month, he said: “It will definitely be weeks. This will lead to unprecedented disruption.’
NHS Providers’ Miriam Deakin, representing Trusts, said: “Keeping patients as safe as possible – Trusts are a top priority – will be even more difficult than previous strikes, so all hands are on deck.
“Trust leaders are concerned about adequate coverage of night shifts. It’s going to be a very long, difficult week for the NHS.” Managers are finding it harder than it has been to find cover with many advisers taking time off over the Easter break.
Mr Barclay said he deeply regretted the timing of the strikes after Easter. He also regretted the BMA asking members not to tell NHS managers “whether they intend to strike or not – which complicates contingency planning – and also their refusal to agree national exemptions”.
He added: “We are ready to hold discussions, but it is clear that a 35 percent requirement is not fair or reasonable.”
Hundreds of doctors marched past Downing Street and Parliament yesterday after a rally in central London. The strikes last until Saturday morning.
Holidaying Chief is a director of a £2m family investment company
Dr. Laurenson is co-chair of the Junior Doctors Committee of the British Medical Association
Dr. Robert Laurenson to be mistaken for an old-fashioned socialist trade union baron.
But the 28-year-old, who was a key figure in this week’s strike, is also a director of an investment firm run by his family.
Dr Laurenson is co-chair of the British Medical Association’s Junior Doctors Committee and was involved in communications with the Department of Health on payroll earlier this year.
He gave details of the stalled discussions in an open letter to doctors last month: “Doctors, you must demonstrate that you are prepared to fight for full recovery of wages and that is why we must protest.”
Nevertheless, Dr. Laurenson will not be on set with his colleagues this week as he is instead attending a family friend’s wedding, according to the BMA.
He is a general medicine trainee at the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, having taken a year off from college to work as a freelance doctor for “money and wellbeing”, according to his LinkedIn.
The company he worked for as an assistant doctor took millions from the NHS by capitalizing on staff shortages.
DR Laurenson is also listed as a director of Westholme Investments Limited along with his parents and brothers. The company has invested more than £2m and previously ran a golf course in Surrey that was described as “one of the best” in the country.
Dr. Laurenson was appointed Director in 2013, a year after starting his medical training at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. It is clear that he has no day-to-day duties in the company and receives no salary or dividends and is not a shareholder.
He attended Sevenoaks School in Kent, one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the country, charging up to £46,566 a year for sixth-formers.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
