Letter to the Prime Minister blames ministers for cancelling meetings
The British Medical Association (BMA) has sent a scathing letter to Rishi Sunak accusing the government of making ‘no attempt’ to negotiate since the last round of strike action by junior doctors.
It comes ahead of a five-day strike by junior doctors in two weeks’ time, which will be the longest strike in the NHS’s history, as well as a further two days of industrial action by consultant doctors.
The union has slammed the ‘arbitrary precondition’ set by the government which means they will not negotiate whilst strike action is planned, arguably defeating the point of strikes in the first place which are to bring about negotiation.
On the weekend the Health Secretary Steve Barclay accused junior doctors of ‘suddenly’ waking away from talks when they were ‘in the middle of discussing some of those wider non-pay issues’. He added: “It was the junior doctors suddenly who walked away.”
However in the letter signed by BMA Council Chair Professor Phil Banfield, government ministers were accused of ‘penalising patients’ by refusing to enter talks with the union, and the govenment was blamed for cancelling meetings and withdrawing from talks.
Banfield wrote: “When negotiations previously broke down, it was your government that cancelled upcoming meetings and withdrew from scheduled talks. Even though the public rightly want you to use every opportunity possible to get around the negotiating table to find a solution.
“Doctors want to get on with tackling waiting lists which are growing under your government but, by refusing to negotiate, you are forcing us to act.”
Addressing the prime minister, the union urged that it was not too late to begin intensive talks and avert the strikes.
“Once again, I am asking you to come to the negotiating table without preconditions, to enter talks that could be facilitated by ACAS, and get serious about retaining doctors and cutting waiting lists.”
Junior doctors have seen their pay cut in real terms by around 26 per cent since 2008/9 and are calling for a pay restoration.
Unite the union accused the health secretary of taking the public ‘on a trip to la la land’ over his comments towards NHS workers on the weekend.
“There are more than 110,000 vacancies in the NHS workforce right now – that’s one in 10 posts unfilled,” said Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary.
“But instead of dealing with those fundamental issues which are causing already trained NHS doctors to quit and move abroad to places where they have a chance of being properly paid and appreciated, Barclay is trying to take us on a trip to la la land.
“Rather than looking at retention the Tories are now shaking a magic money tree to pay for an alleged expansion in training places for NHS staff – but Barclay can’t even say where the money is coming from for year one let alone year 15 of this plan. He’s just kicking the can down the road. Junior doctors have had enough.”
Hannah Davenport is trade union reporter at Left Foot Forward
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