This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
BMA to escalate junior doctor industrial action
The British Medical Association (BMA) has confirmed it will be escalating the junior doctors’ strike action in England to include areas such as A&E and intensive care.
The BMA said it had been left with ‘no choice’ amid its row with the government over plans to impose the new junior doctors contract.
The forthcoming strikes are set to take place from 8:00 to 17:00 on 26-27 April and mean consultants will be compelled to staff A&Es which will likely cause mass disruption to the rest of the hospital.
The Department of Health (DoH) responded to the announcement claiming the move was ‘desperate and irresponsible’ and warned all-out strikes would harm patients. The industrial action will also be the fourth strike in the row, but the first to include a walk out in emergency care services.
Dr Johann Malawana, BMA junior doctor leader, said: "No junior doctor wants to take this action but the government has left us with no choice. In refusing to lift imposition and listen to junior doctors' outstanding concerns, the government will bear direct responsibility for the first full walkout of doctors in this country.
"The government is refusing to get back around the table and is ploughing ahead with plans to impose a contract junior doctors have no confidence in and have roundly rejected.
"We want to end this dispute through talks but the government is making this impossible."
A spokesperson for the DoH said: "This escalation of industrial action is both desperate and irresponsible - and will inevitably put patients in harm's way. If the BMA had agreed to negotiate on Saturday pay as they promised to do we'd have a negotiated agreement by now."
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