Hunt willing to ‘pause’ contract introduction if junior doctors agree to talks

Jeremy Hunt is willing to “pause” the introduction of new contracts for five days if junior doctors agree to talks on outstanding issues.

Writing to the chairman of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AOMRC), the Health Secretary said the Department of Health was committed to the August introduction of the contract, but was willing to hear what the doctors have to say.

It came after AOMRC chairman Professor Dame Sue Bailey called on both sides to end the stand-off after months of wrangling which have led to strike action and thousands of cancelled operations.

Mr Hunt said he expected the discussions to be based on the contractual issues outstanding since February, and not on revisiting the 90% of issues that were agreed, including the cost neutrality of the contract.

He wrote: “However, in response to your call for a five-day negotiating period to consider the process of introducing a new contract and suspension of the threat of further industrial action we are willing to play our part.

“We will pause introduction of the new contract for five days from Monday should the Junior Doctors’ Committee agree to return to talks.

“I have already made clear that we are happy to address with the BMA (British Medical Association) a range of non-contractual issues.”

However, Mr Hunt said that he would only agree to talks if the Junior Doctors’ Committee (JDC) was willing to negotiate on the issues of unsocial hours and Saturday pay.

Dr Johann Malawana, the BMA’s JDC chairman, said: “As suggested by the academy, we are keen to restart talks with an open mind.

“It is critical to find a way forward on all the outstanding issues – which are more than just pay – and hope that a new offer is made that can break the impasse.”

Commenting on the department’s response to the calls for a five-day pause, Mr Hunt added: “This is a significant show of good faith by the Government in order to break the deadlock.

“We now need the BMA to agree to negotiate on Saturday pay, the biggest area of difference between us, in order for the talks to proceed next week.”

The BMA responded by saying that it is keen to “restart talks with an open mind” and has always wanted to negotiate an agreement.

Prime Minister David Cameron called for the proposed talks to focus on the issue of Saturday working.

“I welcome the fact that there is the prospect of discussions between the Department of Health and the junior doctors.

“I think it’s important that if these talks do go ahead, they focus not on the 90% of things that have been agreed, but focus very much on the 10% of things that haven’t been agreed, particularly the issue around Saturday working,” Mr Cameron said in Downing Street.

Last week junior doctors went on an all-out strike for two working days. For the first time in the history of the NHS, junior doctors in England stopped providing emergency care during the walkouts.

More than 125,000 appointments and operations were cancelled and will need to be rearranged.

This figure is on top of almost 25,000 procedures cancelled during previous walkouts.

The Government is intent on introducing a new contract for doctors working up to consultant level to replace one it says is outdated.

Mr Hunt wants to cut the number of hours over a weekend for which junior doctors can claim extra pay, while offsetting this with a hike in basic pay.

This has proved a major sticking point in the row with the BMA – whether Saturdays should attract extra “unsocial” payments.

Currently, 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday and the whole of Saturday and Sunday attract a premium rate of pay for junior doctors.

The imposed contract, due to come into force in August, has an increase in basic salary of 13.5% but 7am to 5pm on Saturdays will be regarded as a normal working day.

There will still be premium rates for Saturday evenings and all of Sunday.

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2016, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) Neil Hall / PA Wire.