Junior doctors suspend industrial action planned for next week
Last week the British Medical Association announced training medics would perform a series of strikes by withdrawing labour, including emergency care, for a week each month until the end of the year.
The first wave of strikes was supposed to start next Monday.
But concerns have been raised over patient safety. Earlier the doctors’ regulator, the General Medical Council, warned that patients would “suffer” given the scale of the action at such short notice.
The BMA has now said that, following discussion with NHS England, it will suspend next week’s planned action.
But further strikes scheduled for October, November and December will still go ahead, the union said.
In a statement the BMA said that it had provided more than the legally required seven days notice, but NHS England has told the union it needs more time to plan for the escalated action.
If the Government lifts the imposition of the contract, the planned strikes for late in the year will also be called off, the BMA said.
Dr Ellen McCourt, chairman of the BMA’s junior doctors’ committee, said: “Patient safety remains doctors’ primary concern which is why, following discussions with NHS England, the BMA has taken the decision to suspend next week’s industrial action.
“While the BMA provided more than the required notice, we have taken this decision to ensure the NHS has the necessary time to prepare and to put in place contingency plans to protect patient safety.
“Our hospitals are chronically understaffed, our NHS is desperately underfunded – we have to listen to our colleagues when they tell us that they need more time to keep patients safe.
“Future action is still avoidable. The BMA has repeatedly said it will call off further action if the Government puts a halt to plans to force junior doctors to work under a contract they have rejected because they don’t believe it is good for the future of patient care or the profession.
“I urge Jeremy Hunt to put patients first, listen to our concerns and end this dispute through talks.”
Downing Street welcomed news of the suspension of the walkout.
A Number 10 spokesman said: “The Government’s position has been that we didn’t want the strike to take place. The BMA, as we have repeatedly said, should be putting patients first and not playing politics.
“It is extremely good news for patients that this strike has been suspended. We would urge junior doctors to suspend all other planned strikes.”
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2016, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) John Stillwell / PA Wire.
