Junior docs threaten extra strikes if ministers do not return to pay talks now

Junior docs are demanding a right away resumption of pay talks with the Government to finish the NHS strike distress on the finish of its longest ever walkout.

The British Medical Association has threatened additional industrial motion if Health Secretary Victoria Atkins doesn’t return to the negotiating desk. It comes on the day Ms Atkins informed the House of Commons: “If they come to the table with reasonable expectations, then I will sit down with them.”

Junior physician leaders spoke to the Mirror on the ultimate day of a six-day stoppage – the longest within the NHS’s 75-year historical past – which ends at 7am on Tuesday. The junior docs committee informed the Mirror it’s finalising plans to reballot within the subsequent few weeks to increase its strike mandate which expires on February 29.

Co-chair Dr Vivek Trivedi described members’ “unwavering” dedication to extra strikes if no acceptable new supply is tabled by ministers within the coming days and weeks. He mentioned they may not rule out an excellent longer strike subsequent, including: “Unfortunately we have seen what happens when the mandate for strike action goes away. Strike action is the only language that the Government seems to understand because without a mandate for strike action we were ignored.

“And even now nurses, who are still in dispute with the Government about pay, they are being ignored, because they lost their mandate to strike. Striking is the only thing the Government responds to and something we’ve effectively been forced in to.”

During the final spherical of negotiations Government halted talks, citing its situation that negotiations couldn’t proceed as soon as the BMA had scheduled future strikes. The BMA expects talks to proceed while it ballots to increase junior docs’ strike mandate. Despite this poll, no extra strikes can be scheduled except the junior docs committee decides inadequate progress is being made in talks.

Co-chair Dr Rob Laurenson mentioned: “We believe that talks can continue during strike action. That’s been proven by other unions like those representing Tube drivers and criminal barristers. That is the Government’s decision but it keeps collapsing talks, pushing us out of the room and blaming us which is not a very collaborative way to work. It’s quite a toxic behaviour.”

On Monday the BMA mentioned it had not but obtained one other invite for talks upfront of the strike ending. During the 144-hour walkout Ms Atkins repeatedly claimed she could be able to restart talks “in 20 minutes” if junior docs known as off strikes. Dr Laurenson mentioned: “We’re expecting an invitation [for talks] at the latest 7.20am.”

In an announcement to Parliament on Monday, Ms Atkins mentioned: “It is time for the junior doctors committee to show that they’re serious about doing a deal. They have legitimate concerns about their working lives, and a fair and reasonable deal can be reached. But calling damaging strikes is not the way to achieve this.

“Earlier this week, I said that if they pulled off the damaging strike action I’d be around the table in 20 minutes. I am of course extremely disappointed that they have refused for and continue to refuse the offer because of course the strikes are ongoing as we speak. But if they come to the negotiating table with reasonable expectations I will sit down with them.”

Last summer season the Government awarded junior docs in England a median rise of 8.8%, however the BMA mentioned the rise was nonetheless an actual phrases pay lower for a lot of medics. They are on the lookout for a long run dedication to handle 15 years of below-inflation awards.

The Mirror can reveal the junior docs committee has benchmarked inflation of 11.4% which was the Retail Price Index measure on the finish of the 2022/23 monetary 12 months. RPI has since fallen to five.3%. The committee says any 2022/23 pay rise supply from Government beneath 11.4% could be one other real-terms pay lower and rejected. It is on the lookout for a multi-year dedication to above-inflation pay awards – just like that agreed in Scotland – to return real-terms pay to 2008 ranges.

Dr Laurenson mentioned: “We’re happy to have a multi-year deal… we’re not asking for it all in one go. We’re very happy to have a long term plan. What I would say is that the Government should try and look beyond their own nose at what it’s going to take to end this dispute. Look at the bigger picture and the long term retention crisis we have in the NHS.”

Between 2008-9 and 2021-22, pay for junior docs had fallen by 26% as soon as rising prices are taken under consideration. The BMA says that to reverse that drop would now take a 35% enhance.

Dr Trivedi mentioned: “It’s a shame the Government has wasted so much time in trying to resolve our dispute. We’ve shown our willingness to achieve a deal which can be worked on creatively and span a number of years and what we’ve seen in return is continued contempt.”

FullFact states first-year junior docs in England earn about £15.50 an hour in fundamental pay whereas the common junior physician earned £44,500 final 12 months. The BMA says NHS docs’ pay is poor by worldwide requirements and lots of new recruiting are transferring to work in international locations corresponding to Australia and New Zealand. The new 12 months strike has seen a number of NHS trusts declare essential incidents.

Ms Atkins mentioned within the Commons: “I don’t believe it is right to negotiate with unions whilst they are being unreasonable, and some of their members are walking out of hospitals at the busiest and most challenging time of year for patients. And I remind the House that the junior doctors committee’s headline demand of a 35% pay rise is simply unaffordable for taxpayers.” She added: “We need to find a fair and reasonable solution to this, but I will not do this whilst the junior doctors committee is maintaining strike action.”

Junior docs in Northern Ireland are being balloted for the primary time over potential strike motion whereas junior docs in Wales are set to stage a 72-hour stroll out from Monday January 15. Junior docs in Scotland settled their pay dispute final summer season after getting an above-inflation settlement and a three-year dedication to actual phrases pay rises.