Duty is not a slogan, it is the habit of showing up when others rely on you. A five-day strike from 17 to 22 December tells the public that leverage matters more than service, and that is a dangerous lesson. Yes, pay and conditions must be fair, and yes, ministers should negotiate with honesty, but the method matters. A good patrol leader does not endanger the camp to win an argument with headquarters; he finds other pressure points and keeps the vulnerable safe. The BMA can pressure ministers in Parliament, in media, in arbitration, without turning patients into collateral. Fix the dispute, but keep the promise of care.