Call Off Doctor Strike To Continue Talks, Streeting Tells Bma

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has written to nan British Medical Association offering further talks connected amended moving conditions - but only if they telephone disconnected this week's strike.

Streeting says negotiations which began connected Thursday person been constructive - but pinch resident doctors, formerly known arsenic inferior doctors, owed to walk-out for 5 days connected Friday, he is urging them to postpone.

Many hospitals person delayed cancelling appointments while talks continue, but are expected to commencement this connected Wednesday truthful this is nan past chance to extremity awesome disruption.

The BBC understands nan BMA is gathering to talk their response.

A scope of different non-pay related issues person been discussed complete nan past 5 days aft Streeting made clear he could not displacement connected pay.

This includes nan authorities covering nan costs of mandatory exam fees which tin tally to respective 1000 pounds during aesculapian training arsenic good arsenic giving doctors much power complete wherever they are placed during their first 2 years of training and much announcement of rotas.

Ways of speeding up profession progression aft nan first 2 years of training has besides been discussed. Resident doctors tin walk 10 years aliases much successful training.

Student debts accrued during five-year assemblage courses, which for doctors tin tally to £100,000, person besides been brought up, but nan authorities is thought improbable to work together to penning disconnected debts, moreover partially, contempt reports past week.

Resident doctors were awarded an mean 5.4% salary emergence for this financial year, pursuing a 22% summation complete nan erstwhile 2 years.

But nan British Medical Association says wages are still astir 20% little successful existent position than successful 2008 and are demanding "pay restoration".

A spokesperson for nan Department of Health and Social Care said: "The missive from nan caput of authorities to nan BMA's resident expert committee is nan culmination of nan constructive conversations that person been had successful caller days.

"It is now for nan BMA to determine whether they want to return up nan connection of further discussions connected ways to amended nan moving conditions of resident doctors if they postpone their damaging onslaught action which is scheduled for later this week."

Earlier BMA lawman leader Dr Emma Runswick told nan BBC nan talks had been "constructive" and she said she hoped a solution could beryllium found.

It comes aft nan BMA said NHS England was putting patients astatine consequence of harm successful nan upcoming strike.

The national believes NHS England's scheme to limit nan number of regular treatments being cancelled will agelong elder doctors covering for striking resident doctors excessively thinly.

NHS England has ordered hospitals only to cancel non-urgent care, specified arsenic hep and knee operations, successful exceptional circumstances.

BMA lawman leader Dr Emma Runswick told nan BBC nan scheme risked causing a big of past infinitesimal cancellations and "at worst could beryllium consequence and lead to harm".

"Senior doctors cannot physically beryllium successful 2 places astatine once," said Dr Runswick.

"We deliberation nan immense mostly of planned and scheduled attraction should beryllium shifted."

During erstwhile strikes successful 2023 and 2024 non-urgent activity was cancelled successful ample quantities truthful elder doctors could supply screen successful emergency and urgent services.

This came aft NHS England told hospitals that rescheduling bookings and appointments would beryllium "sadly essential" to support safe care.

At immoderate hospitals up to half of planned attraction was cancelled.

But this caller attack is being overseen by Sir Jim Mackey, who became main executive of NHS England successful nan outpouring aft Amanda Pritchard stepped down.

Sources astatine NHS England said he was wished to minimise nan disruption, pointing retired that cancelling non-urgent activity comes astatine a consequence to patients too.

Dr Runswick besides defended nan sums being charged by elder doctors for covering resident doctors during nan strike. The BMA has suggested consultants complaint complete £300 an hr for nighttime shifts.

Dr Runswick said sometimes nan NHS needed to "incentivise" doctors to supply screen extracurricular their normal work.