Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has extended an invitation to resident doctors’ leaders for a new round of discussions next week in an effort to bring an end to the longstanding pay dispute. This move comes after the British Medical Association (BMA), the doctors’ union, reached out to Streeting on Tuesday requesting negotiations.
In response to the request, Streeting stated that he would not engage in discussions regarding pay, but expressed a willingness to resume talks that had broken down the previous week, focusing on working conditions such as career progression, exam fees, and rotas. Despite this, he cautioned the union that the government’s goodwill had been compromised due to the recent strike, which concluded on Wednesday. The BMA is currently contemplating Streeting’s offer, having initially sought talks centered on pay matters.
In a letter penned by Streeting, he highlighted the irony of the BMA’s call for negotiations, underscoring that he had always remained at the negotiating table. The previous round of talks came to an end last Tuesday when the union confirmed the commencement of their five-day strike. This marked the 12th strike since spring 2023, but notably the first during the tenure of the Labour party.
Following the recent election, Streeting brokered a deal with resident doctors that resulted in a temporary cessation of industrial action. This agreement entailed a 22% pay raise over a two-year period, with an additional average increase of 5.4% this year. However, the BMA initiated renewed strike action, asserting that the pay raise was insufficient as salaries still remained a fifth lower than they were in 2008. Streeting expressed disappointment and deemed the strike unnecessary in his letter on Wednesday, emphasizing that the talks initiated could have brought about significant enhancements to doctors’ professional lives. Additionally, he lamented the adverse impact the strike had on patients, while also noting that the union’s actions had eroded the goodwill previously established with the government. Streeting assured that his door remained open for further discussions and proposed a meeting at the beginning of the following week. The extent of disruption to health services resulting from the strike remains unclear, as the NHS endeavored to sustain the majority of non-urgent operations such as knee and hip surgeries. Some hospitals indicated that they were able to maintain over 80% of their typical activity levels, a significant improvement from previous instances where activities were limited to as low as 50%. Resident doctors constitute a substantial portion of the medical workforce, encompassing individuals at various stages of their careers – from recent graduates to those with nearly a decade of experience
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.