Contract imposition 'a total failure'

The BMA has attacked the Government’s ‘bullying’ approach to impose a new contract on junior doctors in England condemning it as a ‘total failure’ on ministers’ part. Junior doctors leaders said the decision announced by health secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) in the Commons was driven by politics rather than an attempt to come to a reasonable solution for trainees, who would not accept the contract. BMA junior doctors committee chair Johann Malawana said: ‘The Government’s shambolic handling of this process from start to finish has totally alienated a generation of junior doctors - the hospital doctors and GPs of the future - and there is a real risk that some will vote with their feet. ‘Our message to the Government is clear: junior doctors cannot and will not accept a contract that is bad for the future of patient care, the profession and the NHS as a whole, and we will consider all options open to us.’ The ministerial announcement came after more than 160 picket lines were set up around England as thousands of junior doctors took a second 24-hour period of industrial action, which ended at 8am today, over the 'unfair contract'.   'End uncertainty' Mr Hunt told the Commons: ‘Along with other senior NHS leaders and supported by NHS Employers, NHS England, NHS Improvement, the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, [chief negotiator Sir David Dalton] has asked me to end the uncertainty for the service by p...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news