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Britain's junior doctors striking in contract dispute

by Thomas Dworetzky, Contributing Reporter | February 11, 2016
Business Affairs European News Population Health Primary Care
Love the idea of nationalized health care or hate it, one thing is sure — all is not well in its Camelot, Britain, as thousands of junior doctors ended a second 24-hour strike in a labor dispute with the National Health Service.

The new chapter in a long-running dispute focuses on the latest contract, which Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced he would impose without the okay of the British Medical Association, which represents the physicians. A deadline for its acceptance passed Wednesday.

“The decision to impose a contract is a sign of total failure on the government’s part. Instead of working with the BMA to reach an agreement that is in the best interests of patients, junior doctors and the NHS as a whole, the government has walked away, rejecting a fair and affordable offer put forward by the BMA," Dr. Johann Malawana, the British Medical Association’s committee chair for junior doctors, said in a statement.

“Our message to the government is clear: Junior doctors cannot and will not accept a contract that is bad for the future of patient care, the profession and the NHS as a whole, and we will consider all options open to us,” he continued.

That decision by the secretary is “horribly unfortunate," Junior Doctor Gregory Manning told Newsweek magazine, adding, "As far as we can see, the contract changes as proposed are politically motivated more than anything and there are legitimate concerns they will endanger patients and significantly worsen staff morale.

“You can’t have a meaningful negotiation with the threat of imposition looming,” he said.

What is at issue?
According to the BBC, the crux of the differences are:
• The BMA wants all day Saturday to be paid at 50 percent above the basic rate
• The government is only offering extra pay after 5 p.m.
• But they have offered to top up the pay for those who work regular Saturdays — defined as at least one in four
• Agreement has not been reached on on-call allowances, how limits on working hours are to be policed, and days off between night shifts
• The government has offered a basic pay rise of 13.5 percent
• The BMA has said it is willing to accept between a 4 percent and 7 percent hike in basic pay to cover the weekend pay issue

“Junior doctors already work around the clock, seven days a week and they do so under their existing contract. If the Government wants more seven-day services then, quite simply, it needs more doctors, nurses and diagnostic staff, and the extra investment needed to deliver it. Rather than addressing these issues, the Health Secretary is ploughing ahead with proposals that are fundamentally unfair," said the BMA statement.

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