Now junior doctors call off their strike
JUNIOR doctors will hold pay talks with Health Secretary Steve Barclay next week after agreeing to his demand that strikes are halted during negotiations.
It comes as figures show that the doctors’ three days of industrial action this week led to the cancellation of more than 175,000 appointments and operations.
Mr Barclay wrote to the British Medical Association (BMA) yesterday, inviting junior doctors to talks – on the condition they call off industrial action.
The union, which is demanding a pay rise of 35 per cent, said it will agree to his terms and will resume strikes only if they ‘fail to reach an agreed negotiated settlement’.
It comes as other health unions prepare to ballot members on an improved pay deal and as teachers begin separate talks with the Government.
NHS England said around 28,700 doctors below the rank of consultant were absent from work as a result of industrial action on each of the three days.
However, 80 out of 268 NHS organisations failed to report any data and 31 said ‘zero’ were absent, meaning the true number is likely to be much higher.
Not all organisations reported figures for cancelled appointments and the data covers only strike days.
Further cancellations were likely in the aftermath as consultants who provided cover for their junior colleagues took time off to recover.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director at NHS England, said: ‘Despite the huge efforts that NHS staff made to keep patients safe and minimise disruption, this strike was on an unprecedented scale and had a greater impact than all the other industrial action we have seen so far this winter combined.’
Nursing, ambulance and physiotherapist unions have advised members to accept an improved pay offer, which will see them receive a 5 per cent pay rise for the next financial year and a lump- sum payment worth up to £3,789 for this year.
But Robert Laurenson, co- chairman of the BMA junior doctors’ committee, indicated doctors would not accept a similar offer – dismissing it as a ‘bad deal’.
Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said: ‘It’s vital the Government and unions get around the table.’
Education unions yesterday started ‘intensive talks’ with ministers on pay, conditions and workload.
A statement by the Government and education unions said: ‘ In order for talks to begin and, we hope, reach a successful conclusion, the National Education Union has confirmed it will create a period of calm for two weeks during which time they have said no further strike dates will be announced.
‘The Education Secretary and all unions will meet today, beginning intensive talks, which will continue over the weekend.’