Junior doctors reject new contract

Junior doctors have voted to reject the new contract offered to them by the government, despite British Medical Association (BMA) leaders urging members to accept the terms.

The update comes after a long dispute between the BMA and the government over the imposition of a new junior doctor contract, in which strikes were stopped after the government offered a new contract in May.

58 per cent of BMA members voted against accepting the deal, with 42 per cent voting for. The vote was open to 54,000 BMA members - junior doctors and medical students in their final two years of their degree. Over two thirds of members took part.

Johann Malawian has resigned as leader of BMA junior doctors.

In a letter to members, Malawian said: “I only hope that the next government realises that this vote is a demonstration of just how appalling frontline staff have been treated and undermined."

However, during the voting process the government has pushed ahead with introduction of the contract, with new rotas due to start in August for 6,000 newly qualified doctors.

Jeremy Hunt said: "It is extrememly disappointing that junior doctors have voted against this contract, which was agreed with and endorsed by the leader of the BMA Junior Doctors’ Committee and supported by senior NHS leaders.

"The BMA’s figures show that only 40 per cent of those eligible actually voted against this contract, and a third of BMA members didn’t vote at all. We will now consider the outcome."