Hunt’s capacity to impose contract questioned

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s legal power to impose the new junior doctor contract has been thrown into question, as he claims he will ‘introduce’ the regime rather than ‘impose’ it.

The Guardian reported that a letter written by Hunt showed the Health Secretary planned on ‘introducing’ the contracts and not unilaterally ‘imposing’ it, as was initially understood. The letter was sent by the government’s legal department to solicitors acting on behalf of a group of junior doctors opposing the contracts.

The revelation comes ahead as a High Court Challenge has taken place (18 April 2015) which initiates a judicial review of the lawfulness of the Health Secretary’s right to impose the contract.

So far, junior doctors have already staged four strikes over the threatened imposition, with a further all-out strike set to take place on the 26-27 April, which will include emergency care.

The change of wording has been perceived by ministers as a ‘dramatic change’.

Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat health minister, said: “If Hunt has changed the language from ‘imposing’ to ‘introducing’, it may be that there’s no way the government can continue to try to get this contract implemented.”

However, a Department of Health spokesperson has disputed there has been no change in Hunt’s language in relation to the contracts.