Agreement on further negotiations on pay, jobs and working conditions for resident doctors in England has been reached following ‘constructive’ talks between the BMA resident doctors committee and Wes Streeting.
A meeting held yesterday between the health secretary and RDC co-chairs Ross Nieuwoudt and Melissa Ryan (pictured above) has seen each side commit to further discussions aimed at meeting doctors’ demands and bringing strike action to an end.
The meeting, which has been described by Dr Nieuwoudt and Dr Ryan as ‘constructive’ and ‘informative’, comes following a five-day full walkout by resident doctors in England last month.
Following the walkout, the BMA had urged Mr Streeting to ‘reconsider his strategy’ on reaching a solution to the impasse on doctors’ pay and resume talks.
Striking a cautious yet optimistic tone on their meeting with the health secretary, Dr Nieuwoudt and Dr Ryan said they felt they had ‘achieved a greater mutual understanding’, and that they were eager to work with the Department of Health in finding a way forward.
Fair pay
They said: ‘We met yesterday with Mr Streeting to once again reiterate what is needed to bring this dispute to an end. We were very clear about the determination of resident doctors to return to a fair level of pay.
‘Our conversation was informative and we feel that we have achieved a greater mutual understanding than in previous talks. We have agreed a window for negotiations, which we hope the Government will use wisely.
‘We want to work with the Department for Health and Social Care to deliver on non-pay items it previously agreed to, and to forge mutual respect following years when the previous incumbents seemingly cared little for doctors’ pay or wellbeing. We are clear, though, that going forward there has to be movement on pay.’
In addition to tackling long-standing erosion in resident doctor pay, which the BMA says has declined in real terms by 21 per cent since 2008, RDC has also sought to address the issue of training place shortages and unemployment as part of its negotiations with the Government.
Dr Nieuwoudt and Dr Ryan said: ‘We also reminded Mr Streeting of the urgent need to provide enough jobs for doctors and bring an end to the current situation where thousands of resident doctors apply for far too few roles, leaving many unable to progress their careers and go on to be our future consultants, GPs and other specialist doctors.
‘We are working to ensure strike action does not need to be repeated and will give time to explore solutions. However, doctors and patients both deserve a resolution sooner rather than later.’
For the latest information and guidance on the industrial action by resident doctors in England.