I would like to assure you that I, and the Health Secretary, know junior doctors already work seven days a week, playing a vital role in our NHS and doing a fantastic job delivering excellent care for patients. The Government's reforms are intended to improve patient safety and properly reward - not penalise - NHS staff, ensuring safer working hours and delivering a truly seven-day health service. I know that's what doctors want too, so it is extremely disappointing that the BMA chose unnecessary industrial action, which helps no one, in place of negotiation.
It is my understanding that progress has been made on almost 100 different points of discussion, with agreement secured with the BMA on approximately 90 per cent of them. Sadly, despite this progress and willingness from the Government to be flexible on the issue of Saturday pay, the leader of the negotiating team, Sir David Dalton, has now advised the Government that a negotiated solution is not realistically possible.
So, to end the uncertainty for the service, the Government will now proceed with the introduction of a new contract that is safer for patients and fair and reasonable for junior doctors. Doctors are not facing a pay cut, new safeguards will reduce hours and 75 per cent of trainees will actually get a pay rise. To view details of the Government's firm offer to junior doctors, please visit this web page: www.nhsemployers.org/juniordoctors
The process of negotiation has uncovered some wider and more deep-seated issues relating to junior doctors' morale, wellbeing and quality of life. So I welcome the announcement that Dame Sue Bailey, President of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, will lead a review into measures outside the contract that can be taken to improve the morale of the junior doctor workforce. Further details of this review will be set out soon.
24.2.16
