Junior doctors: fight against imposition begins

  The BMA is set to launch a judicial review into the Government’s decision to impose a new contract on junior doctors in England, claiming it failed to follow due process. It has also announced new dates for industrial action. The judicial review is being sought because of the apparent failure of health secretary Jeremy Hunt to undertake an EIA (equality impact assessment) prior to its decision to force new terms and conditions on junior doctors in August. BMA junior doctors committee chair Johann Malawana said: 'This is yet another example of the incompetence which the Government has demonstrated throughout its handling of the dispute. 'Imposing this contract will seriously undermine the ability of the NHS to recruit and retain junior doctors in areas of medicine with the most unsocial areas, where there are already staffing shortages. ‘We have already seen NHS chief executives refusing to support an imposition, and patient representatives have said they are appalled by this move. 'Added to this, the Government’s former adviser on patient safety, Don Berwick, has said it should apologise to junior doctors over the contract dispute. 'The Government must listen to the chorus of concern coming from all quarters and reconsider this disastrous approach.’  The industrial action dates are: 8am on Wednesday 9 March to 8am on Friday 11 March 8am on Wednesday 6 April to 8am on Friday 8 April 8am on Tuesday 26 April to 8am on Thursday...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news