As a junior doctor, it mystifies me why Theresa May didn't take the opportunity to sack the incompetent Jeremy Hunt

There is no denying the volatility and unpredictability of British politics over the past month. It feels like every man and his dog has resigned, with no one accepting the challenge of the difficult passage ahead. For many of us working in the NHS the silver lining in this very dark and dismal cloud was the anticipation of removal of Jeremy Hunt as Health Secretary.

Never has a Health Secretary been so incompetent, disliked and uncompromising. For many, it has felt like he singlehandedly impaired contract negotiations by his relentless opposition to any concession. I am incredibly tired and frustrated with the government and its inability to listen to its electorate after trying to deal with him over the last few months.

Hunt has succeeded in uniting doctors in a front against the government, a move few could have predicted considering doctors’ usual reluctance to strike and historical support for centre-right politics. He has allowed services to be stretched beyond breaking point. He has triggered the biggest exodus of doctors, many of which are from struggling specialties, and has acted as a walking advertisement for Australia. Contributing to a brain drain wasn’t supposed to be part of his job description.

Even in terms of speaking to patients, our Health Secretary has been left wanting. In February of this year, he was criticised by a meningitis charity for making a “serious error of judgment” after he seemed to recommend that parents worried about a rash their child have should look on the internet and compare pictures rather than visit a doctor.

It is about time politicians were held properly accountable for their actions. As medical professionals, if we are found to be dangerous or personally difficult, we have to answer to the General Medical Council, who will review our registration. Hunt has been dangerous and difficult. Policies that harm patients and the medical staff who treat them have been introduced under his watch. He has been obstinate during contract negotiations and is reluctant to listen to or accept any criticism of his imposed plans. This is a minister who has been previously been implemented in the BskyB scandal, he has demonstrated previous arrogance and dishonesty. In 2012, he was caught up in the BSkyB scandal, where many called for him to resign and the Guardian stated that “he appears to have blotted his copybook beyond repair.” It took him just three years to involve himself in a scandal of even bigger proportions.

Hunt will go down in history as a person with astounding abilities to cling onto power despite reaching record levels of unpopularity. It was an unprecedented move when 98 per cent of junior doctors voted to go on strike last year, one followed by marches in support that were attended by record numbers of the general public. The fact that Theresa May kept him in power beggars belief. I can only think that she wants him to sort out the mess he created.

Hunt is working on his legacy; he wants to be known as the man who changed the NHS for the better. But if he wants to succeed, he needs to open his eyes and he is ears because currently, he is failing. I fear we needed new blood in the cabinet to achieve this, and that nothing can save the NHS if Hunt is allowed to continue. I hope that he can prove me wrong.