An unjabbed ICU doctor who challenged Sajid Javid over compulsory vaccines for NHS staff has insisted he is not an anti-vaxxer because he has seen the 'great benefits' from jabs with a 'huge reduction' of seriously-ill Covid patients in hospital.
Dr Steve James, who works at King's College Hospital in London, claimed there is a difference between his 'own personal opinion' on why he shouldn't have the vaccine and whether jabs are 'good in general'.
He added: 'So as a doctor I'm not anti-surgery, but it doesn't mean that surgery is what I need to have.'
But TV medical expert Dr Hilary Jones slammed his viewpoint, saying it is 'unethical' for a doctor to refuse the jab and put vulnerable patients at risk.
The comments follow Dr James, a consultant anaesthetist, telling the Health Secretary about his refusal to be vaccinated despite working in intensive care since the start of the pandemic.
Footage from earlier this month shows the doctor telling Mr Javid that he is not jabbed and does not want to be, adding: 'And for that, I would be dismissed if I don't have a vaccine? The science isn't strong enough.'
Dr Steve James, a consultant anaesthetist, earlier told Sajid Javid (both pictured) about his refusal to be vaccinated despite working in intensive care since the start of the pandemic
The consultant anaesthetist (pictured above) who works at King's College Hospital in London, claimed there is a difference between his 'own personal opinion' on why he shouldn't have the vaccine and whether jabs are 'good in general'
Speaking today, Dr James told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I'm not anti-vax because I've seen a great, great benefit from vaccines.
'There's been a huge reduction in the number of seriously ill patients that have come into hospital and vaccination has almost certainly made the largest contribution to that.'
Referring to his comments to Mr Javid, he said: 'There's a difference between me giving my own personal opinion about why I wouldn't have the vaccine and whether vaccines in general are good.
'So as a doctor I'm not anti-surgery, but it doesn't mean that surgery is what I need to have. So as a population it would be good to offer certain treatments, it doesn't mean that everybody needs to have those treatments.'
And on why he hasn't been vaccinated, the ICU doctor added: 'Personally I'm a fit and well man, I'm not elderly, I was exposed to Covid on multiple occasions in the hospital setting and I wasn't getting sick.
'I thought well the vaccines are out there now, they'll go to
