In a press release, BAPIO confirmed that the delegates at its annual conference 2015 unanimously supported the junior doctors in their bid to get a fair contract deal. Talks around the contract have been going on for three years, but have now broken down over issues that BAPIO feels should have been resolved amicably.
The Secretary of State for Health, Mr Jeremy Hunt has planned to impose a new contract by the next summer, unless the junior doctors accept the terms of the NHS Employers. This has resulted in the BMA balloting its junior doctor members for an industrial action. BAPIO believes that this is in no one’s interest and has urged Mr David Cameron to resolve the matter before any such action is taken.
The junior doctors of today are the Consultants and GPs of tomorrow. They form the very fabric of the NHS and therefore it would put patient safety at risk if the terms and conditions of their working patterns are not adequately safeguarded. NHS Employers must remove the threat of an imposed contract and start negotiating a fair contract which would recognise the sterling work that the junior doctors do, and stem the flow of doctors now leaving the NHS.