A final year medical student reckons she would be better off keeping her job at McDONALD’S rather than becoming a DOCTOR.
Lianne Sellors, 23, has worked with the fast food giant since she was 16 and thinks she’d be better off financially flipping Big Macs than stopping heart attacks.
The Sheffield University medics’ extraordinary statement comes as the government plans to impose crippling new contracts on all junior doctors from next year.
The proposed rules mean junior doctors must work until 10pm every evening – and work Saturdays – toiling for over 80 hours per week.
There are also planned pay cuts of up to 30 per cent, sparking fears of a mass ‘brain drain’ as young doctors look abroad to places like Australia and Canada.
Lianne, originally from Nottingham, claims that it is not the long hours that worry her, but the mistakes that could be made as a consequence.
Speaking to student newspaper The Tab, she said: “The main thing that worries me about the new contracts is the effect it may have on patient safety.
“Hunt’s contract threatens to remove the safeguards that prevent hospitals from over-working doctors, this may leave us exhausted and in danger of making mistakes that could impact our patients.
“During my time working at McDonald’s I have occasionally worked 70 – 90 hours weeks whilst not at University.
“They have left me emotionally drained and physically exhausted. McDonald’s is actually a very tough job, and during times when I have been tired, I have made mistakes.
“So when I say I would be ‘better off’ staying at McDonald’s, I mean that I would rather be at risk of putting the wrong sauce on a burger, than putting a patient’s care and safety at risk due to tiredness.”
Since Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced the plans over 5,000 young medics have applied for the paperwork needed to work abroad.
Just two weeks ago, thousands of incensed medical students protested outside the houses of parliament for a change in the proposals.
The outraged Lianne posted a picture of her in McDonald’s garb to Facebook, writing: “Today over 15,000 junior doctors, nurses and other NHS staff will be protesting against Jeremy Hunt’s proposed contract.
“I would love to be with them. However, I’m working. Not on-call like many others, but at McDonald’s.
“Having worked here for over eight years to fund my studies as a student doctor I am hugely angry and disappointed at what lies ahead.
“The new contract is not fair. I’d be better off staying at McDonald’s.”
