Junior Doctors in England Enter Mediated Talks with Government to Resolve Pay Dispute
Junior doctors in England have entered “mediated talks” with the Government in hopes of resolving a prolonged dispute over pay. The British Medical Association (BMA) announced on Wednesday night that its junior doctors’ committee had begun a new “intensive phase of talks” with the Government, facilitated by an external mediator.
This development follows a series of walkouts by junior doctors demanding better pay, part of the BMA’s campaign for pay restoration. Despite receiving a pay rise of up to 10.3% for the last financial year, junior doctors have called for a 35% pay increase to address what they see as a significant decline in pay over recent years, as per BBC Report.
Dr. Robert Laurenson and Dr. Vivek Trivedi, co-chairs of the BMA junior doctors committee, stated, “We have been in dispute for more than a year with the Government over declining junior doctor pay, exploring various avenues to try and resolve it. We have been looking at ways of restoring trust between parties and believe that an independent mediator can help break the logjam. We hope to reach a credible solution as soon as possible”, via Daily Mail.
The union expressed its optimism on X, formerly known as Twitter, hoping the talks would “break the logjam and gain a credible pay offer for 23/24.”
The Department for Health and Social Care confirmed that both parties had agreed on a “preferred mediator.” Junior doctors have staged 10 rounds of strike action since the dispute began, with the most recent walkout lasting six days in early January. During these strikes, doctors demanded a 35% pay increase but indicated their willingness to negotiate.
Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins commented, “My duty is to patients and I want to pursue all avenues to resolve the dispute with the BMA junior doctors committee. This will ensure they can focus on delivering the highest quality care and help consolidate our recent progress on waiting lists. I am pleased the BMA have agreed to explore mediation and I am hopeful that it will provide a way forward.”
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, also praised the agreement to enter mediation, describing it as a “hugely positive step following what feels like a period of relative calm in terms of the serious dispute.” He added, “NHS leaders and patients will be hopeful of a resolution. At the same time, NHS leaders also accept that there are a series of actions that they must take to improve the working lives of doctors.”
As mediated talks proceed, there is cautious optimism that a resolution can be reached, allowing junior doctors to focus on their primary duty of providing high-quality care to patients while addressing their concerns over pay and working conditions.
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