Prospect of further junior doctors’ strikes increases after militant medic becomes BMA interim leader
Dr Ellen McCourt previously warned 'we are in it for the long haul' after doctors this week rejected new deal by 58 per cent
THE prospect of further junior doctors strikes increased yesterday when a militant medic became their interim leader.
Dr Ellen McCourt will chair the BMA’s junior doctors committee ahead of a permanent replacement in September.
She warned: “We will continue to take industrial action as the concerns over patient safety doesn’t change.”
Her appointment came hours before Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he would be imposing a new contract for working weekends.
Doctors this week voted to reject a deal, thrashed out between the BMA and the Government after six strikes, by 58 per cent to 42 per cent.
Mr Hunt said the agreement had been “strongly endorsed” by their leader Dr Johann Malawana, who resigned in light of the vote.
Dr McCourt has previously warned:“We are in for the long haul.
“We will continue to take industrial action as the concerns over patient safety doesn’t change and we will not be swayed on that.”
There have been six strikes so far, disrupting treatment of hundreds of thousands of patients.
Junior doctors claim they are concerned about patient safety, not money.
Around 37,000 junior doctors and medical students voted on it, a turnout of 68 per cent.
The health secretary told MPs it was a “matter of profound regret” that the BMA were unable to secure majority support for the deal.
Mr Hunt said: “Unfortunately because of the vote we are now left in a no-man’s land that, if it continues, can only damage the NHS.
“The only realistic way to end this impasse is to proceed with the phased introduction of the exact contract that was negotiated, agreed and supported by the BMA leadership.”
The contract will be phased in, starting with some doctors in October this year.
All junior doctors will be moved onto the new terms by October next year.
Mr Hunt said: “Many people will call for me to return to negotiations with the BMA and to them I would like to say this: we have been talking or trying to talk for well over three years.
“There is no consensus around a new contract and after yesterday’s vote it is not clear that any further discussions could create one.
“We will not change any of the new terms agreed with the BMA.”
However, Mr Hunt said the Department of Health will not “let up on efforts to eliminate the gender pay gap”, and announced he would commission an independent report on how to do that.