The ACP fear the junior doctor contracts will deter medics from training in oncology.
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I probably am more sympathetic towards their cause than other industrial action.
They have urged the BMA to get back around the negotiation table with the Department of Health in a last-ditch attempt to avert the strikes.
The Junior doctors have been protesting against Jeremy Hunt’s proposal of new contract for quite a while now and finally took to the ballot to support the strike.
“The contract will also be very unfair on doctors who work part time, who take maternity leave, and those doing research”.
There is also concern that the contract will penalise specialties that are more hard to attract applicants to, and by their nature require more out of hours cover, such as A&E.
But a compromise appears unlikely as health secretary Jeremy Hunt has so-far ruled out sitting around the table at mediator ACAS.
In response, Mr Burt said: “I agree we don’t need to be here – that’s why the Secretary of State has kept his door open all the time”.
Tory former health secretary Lord Fowler said everyone should condemn industrial action, which would damage patient care. “Negotiations should be returned to as soon as possible and it would help if everyone said so”. But imposition was threatened because the BMA withdrew from talks. Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that there are no preconditions, reiterating that again this week.
The high-ranking surgeon published his request to the British Medical Association (BMA) shortly after the ballot results were released.
Why demand this now, rather than months ago? The NHS staff, therefore, by implication are the best in the world.
Want to know more about the dispute? It is thought only emergency care will be provided at hospitals in this scenario. Hugh Byrne has written very persuasively about seven day working on this site. Under the current contract, weekend and out of hours work is paid at a premium.
He said: “It is clear that trust has broken down between junior doctors and the Government, which is why we are offering conciliatory talks via Acas”.
“I’m sure junior doctors are well aware that strike action can’t be allowed to endanger or put at risk the wellbeing and care of vulnerable and at risk patients”.
For junior doctors to defend their conditions and NHS provision, they must not place their trust in the BMA or the health trade unions. “The proposed contract is a serious patient safety issue and raises alarm bells throughout the NHS”. Currently, trusts are penalised financially for giving doctors rotas that include an excessive number of “antisocial’ hours”. The government has demanded £22 billion in “efficiency savings” over the next five years on top of the £20 billion in similar “efficiency savings” under the previous government. As a country we should want to avoid this. This would mean many surgeries getting cancelled as well as outpatient services getting affected – The junior doctors comprise nearly half of the medical fraternity of Europe.
Whilst a few comments in the media and online, and a few banners on their marches have been unpleasant, the vast majority of doctors are not in any way militant.
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A strike will be damaging for patients.
