This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Attempts to avert second junior doctor’s strike resume
Following the recent 24-hour junior doctor walkout, concilliation service Acas says it’s formal talks will resume to prevent the next proposed 48-hour strike, which is due to take place on 26 January.
The strike that took place 12 January 2015 resulted in the postponing of over 4,000 operations, with one in 10 being cancelled on the day and many being cancelled in the coming days beforehand.
NHS England reported that 10,000 junior doctors reported for duty out of 26,000 who were scheduled to work, while Pulse claimed 39 per cent of junior doctors worked during the strike.
The strikes were prompted after talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government failed to reach an agreement regarding the proposed new contract for junior doctors.
The BMA is concerned that the new contract will put doctors at risk of being overworked which could subsequently effect the safety of patients. However, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt declared the strike was ‘completely unnecessary’ and has urged junior doctors to return to the negotiating table.
Acas officials are set to contact both sides in order to get them to resume negotiating, although the government has maintained it is still prepared to impose the contract if the deadlock could not be broken.
Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, which represents the government in contract talks, said: "I'm really hopeful that when the BMA return to the talks we can give junior doctors more confidence in both the pay offer that we're putting to them, but also the improved protections we want to put in place around their safety.
"I am desperate to avoid another repeat of industrial action at the end of the month. It's not in their interest and it's not in the interest of patients."
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