In response to your letter (Protecting patients and keeping Britain healthy,19 August), NHS organisations know that junior doctors remain one of the hardest working and most critical parts of our NHS. But the reality is that the contract they are employed under today was designed to drive down the unacceptably long hours worked by preceding generations of doctors. It means that a large proportion of junior doctors’ earnings remain variable, and leading to unpredictable pay and an unwieldy bureaucracy for them and their employer. The contract needs to change.
The health secretary and NHS Employers beget been clear that the overall pay bill will not be cut,nor will junior doctors be required to work more hours. However, a unusual contract is needed that properly rewards and recognises the vital contribution junior doctors make. Proposals include an increase in their basic pay and unusual protections against working unsafe long hours. We were disappointed that the BMA junior doctors committee could not again bring themselves to talk to us as our default setting is to seek agreement through discussion. Refusing to enter into talks doesn’t benefit junior doctors or their patients and we interrogate junior doctors to discuss with us the independent Doctors and Dentists Review Body report and the way forward.
Danny Mortimer
NHS EmployersContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com