Junior doctor and former Miss England claims she cannot afford to strike.
Miss England 2019 winner Dr. Bhasha Mukherjee, 27, is currently employed in an A&E department for kids.
She would miss up to four days of income if she joined NHS coworkers on the picket line, thus she is unable to do so.
‘I fully support the strike movement, I voted to strike, and at heart I am striking,’ said Bhasha, a nurse at a hospital in North West London.
But this represents four days’ pay and four days’ worth of sick or compassionate leave.
‘The whole point of this strike is for better pay and a lot of us are struggling.
‘I know of at least one other person who cannot afford to strike. We have to foot our bills every month.
‘It’s a wiser financial decision to go to work and get the wages rather than wait for a potential wage increase.’
She also described how staff absence can have a ‘massive impact’ on the team.
‘I know the massive impact it has on the team when one staff has a day off work,’ she explained.
‘Not having enough doctors on the scene and how that impacts patient care. It’s always helpful to have more hands on board.’
Bhasha also revealed she withdrew her membership from the British Medical Association (BMA) after a run in with union members which left her feeling unwelcome.
She said was ‘ostracised’ when she did not join her colleagues, but was quickly invited back in when they found out she was media trained as a beauty queen.
Bhasha, of Derby, added: ‘My experience of the picket line was almost “you can’t sit with us”. After I spoke to members of the press they asked why they wanted to speak with me.
‘They were asking probing questions after I revealed I had media training and done interviews previously.
‘They said something like call me or contact me, we could do someone like you in the BMA and join us at the picket line.
‘I guess it made me feel that I wasn’t part of the movement.’