We are writing today, as UK doctors and supporters, to call for your immediate resignation.

The photographs shared by ITV News on 23rd May 2022 are the latest evidence of irresponsible and reckless behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic; a public health crisis which has caused over 177000 deaths in the UK (1), including the deaths of over 1500 NHS and care workers within England and Wales alone (2).

The COVID-19 pandemic represented an extraordinary public health challenge, and efforts to reduce spread of the virus should have been of utmost importance to our country's leaders. NHS staff have gone above and beyond through each wave of the pandemic, and they continue to do so. The mismatch in behaviour between frontline NHS staff and our Prime Minister is stark.

As we emerge from the pandemic, the pressures on the NHS and its staff are unlike anything this nation has ever encountered. There is a waiting list of 6.4 million patients in the NHS in England alone, the longest ever on record (3). We are missing 110,000 NHS staff (4). If we are to tackle this extraordinary challenge, this nation requires extraordinary leadership. Responsible leadership, drawing upon the counsel of healthcare leaders and experts to find a path forward, placing patient safety at the forefront.

We do not have faith that you, as our Prime Minister, can deliver this leadership. We are therefore calling for your resignation, with immediate effect.

Yours sincerely,

(Please add your name below.)

(1) https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51768274
(2) https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/more-1500-nhs-care-workers-24536105
(3) https://inews.co.uk/news/health/nhs-waiting-list-england-record-high-ambulance-response-times-1625760
(4) https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/mar/03/staffing-crisis-deepens-in-nhs-england-with-110000-posts-unfilled