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| Health chief: letter backing 'whatever is necessary' on contracts was not agreed | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A health boss who has distanced himself from Jeremy Hunt’s plans to impose new contracts on junior doctors has said a letter sent to the health secretary offering NHS chiefs’ support was not the one they agreed to. | A health boss who has distanced himself from Jeremy Hunt’s plans to impose new contracts on junior doctors has said a letter sent to the health secretary offering NHS chiefs’ support was not the one they agreed to. |
| Andrew Foster, chief executive of the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS foundation trust, said the letter he and 19 other NHS leaders backed was not the one that advised the government to do “whatever it deems necessary” to break the deadlock with the medics. | Andrew Foster, chief executive of the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS foundation trust, said the letter he and 19 other NHS leaders backed was not the one that advised the government to do “whatever it deems necessary” to break the deadlock with the medics. |
| Foster said he had “not supported contract imposition. I have supported the view that the offer made is reasonable”. | Foster said he had “not supported contract imposition. I have supported the view that the offer made is reasonable”. |
| Related: Junior doctors vow to fight on after Jeremy Hunt imposes new contracts | |
| When it was put to him on Twitter that he had supported a letter from the government’s chief negotiator, Sir David Dalton, and its advice to Hunt that the government should do “whatever it deems necessary” to end uncertainty for the NHS, Foster said: “That is not the paragraph that I agreed to. I did not agree with imposition.” | When it was put to him on Twitter that he had supported a letter from the government’s chief negotiator, Sir David Dalton, and its advice to Hunt that the government should do “whatever it deems necessary” to end uncertainty for the NHS, Foster said: “That is not the paragraph that I agreed to. I did not agree with imposition.” |
| He added: “The letter we supported was a different one to that published today.” | He added: “The letter we supported was a different one to that published today.” |
| Around half of the 20 NHS chief executives whose names were attached to the letter have withdrawn their support. | Around half of the 20 NHS chief executives whose names were attached to the letter have withdrawn their support. |
| They include at least one who said she was unaware that her name was on the letter until it was actually published. | They include at least one who said she was unaware that her name was on the letter until it was actually published. |
| Claire Murdoch, chief executive of the Central and North West London NHS trust, said: “I became aware that my name was on the letter at the point at which it was published. When I contacted Sir David Dalton he had it removed immediately, which is reflective of the straightforward way he has sought to deal with a very challenging negotiation.” | Claire Murdoch, chief executive of the Central and North West London NHS trust, said: “I became aware that my name was on the letter at the point at which it was published. When I contacted Sir David Dalton he had it removed immediately, which is reflective of the straightforward way he has sought to deal with a very challenging negotiation.” |
| She added: “It is clear to me that the current situation is not sustainable and needs to be resolved for the sake of all involved. The contract must be fair: fair pay, fair hours and excellent training and it must hold at its heart the needs of the patient in a 24/7 NHS. This has to be deliverable.” | She added: “It is clear to me that the current situation is not sustainable and needs to be resolved for the sake of all involved. The contract must be fair: fair pay, fair hours and excellent training and it must hold at its heart the needs of the patient in a 24/7 NHS. This has to be deliverable.” |
| Dalton denied on Thursday that the chief executives listed on the letter had been asked to give their support to imposed contracts. | Dalton denied on Thursday that the chief executives listed on the letter had been asked to give their support to imposed contracts. |
| He told the Health Service Journal (HSJ): “The statement that they agreed to was confirming that the best and final position was considered fair and reasonable, and that they believed the NHS needed certainty and not continuation of the stalemate. | He told the Health Service Journal (HSJ): “The statement that they agreed to was confirming that the best and final position was considered fair and reasonable, and that they believed the NHS needed certainty and not continuation of the stalemate. |
| “If anyone wants to make an inference [from this that they supported] imposition then that is their inference, [but] that is not what [the signatories] have committed their names to. I neither want to say they do or that they don’t. There is a variety of opinion on this.” | “If anyone wants to make an inference [from this that they supported] imposition then that is their inference, [but] that is not what [the signatories] have committed their names to. I neither want to say they do or that they don’t. There is a variety of opinion on this.” |
| Prof Dr Stephen Dunn, chief executive of West Suffolk NHS trust, said: “Not supporting imposition. Supporting fact that David came up with a better offer than the one on the table”, while Miles Scott, head of St George’s university hospitals trust said: “To be clear, I supported the contract offer but not imposition.” | Prof Dr Stephen Dunn, chief executive of West Suffolk NHS trust, said: “Not supporting imposition. Supporting fact that David came up with a better offer than the one on the table”, while Miles Scott, head of St George’s university hospitals trust said: “To be clear, I supported the contract offer but not imposition.” |
| Sir Andrew Cash, boss of Sheffield teaching hospitals, said: “I support the improved offer made this week as fair and reasonable, but I do not support imposition”, while Peter Homa of Nottingham university hospitals NHS foundation trust added: “I hugely value the contribution of junior doctors and hoped for agreement. I view the offer as safe, fair and reasonable but don’t support imposition.” | Sir Andrew Cash, boss of Sheffield teaching hospitals, said: “I support the improved offer made this week as fair and reasonable, but I do not support imposition”, while Peter Homa of Nottingham university hospitals NHS foundation trust added: “I hugely value the contribution of junior doctors and hoped for agreement. I view the offer as safe, fair and reasonable but don’t support imposition.” |
| Related: Doctor who berated Jeremy Hunt says he could quit NHS | |
| David Sloman of the Royal Free London NHS trust said: “I am profoundly disappointed that the national negotiations have failed to reach an agreement with the BMA on a new contract for doctors in training. | David Sloman of the Royal Free London NHS trust said: “I am profoundly disappointed that the national negotiations have failed to reach an agreement with the BMA on a new contract for doctors in training. |
| “I have the utmost respect for junior doctors, know how hard they work to deliver patient care and want to enjoy working with them for many years to come. I do believe that the contract is reasonable, however I do not support contract imposition. My view is that the best way to reach resolution is negotiation.” | “I have the utmost respect for junior doctors, know how hard they work to deliver patient care and want to enjoy working with them for many years to come. I do believe that the contract is reasonable, however I do not support contract imposition. My view is that the best way to reach resolution is negotiation.” |
| Prof Joe Harrison, chief executive of Milton Keynes NHS foundation trust, said he felt Dalton’s final offer was “reasonable”. | Prof Joe Harrison, chief executive of Milton Keynes NHS foundation trust, said he felt Dalton’s final offer was “reasonable”. |
| But he added: “The decision to impose the contract was the secretary of state’s to make. An imposed contract is certainly something I hoped I would not see at the end of this process, and personally I feel it is deeply regrettable.” | But he added: “The decision to impose the contract was the secretary of state’s to make. An imposed contract is certainly something I hoped I would not see at the end of this process, and personally I feel it is deeply regrettable.” |
| According to the HSJ, Dr Peter Miller, head of Leicestershire partnership NHS trust, also distanced himself from imposed contracts, saying: “I support the current offer as safe, reasonable and fair, protecting both junior doctors and patients. | According to the HSJ, Dr Peter Miller, head of Leicestershire partnership NHS trust, also distanced himself from imposed contracts, saying: “I support the current offer as safe, reasonable and fair, protecting both junior doctors and patients. |
| “I have not been asked to support an imposition, nor do I. As a doctor, it saddens me that we have got to this position. We need to work together to build the morale of all staff in the NHS.” | “I have not been asked to support an imposition, nor do I. As a doctor, it saddens me that we have got to this position. We need to work together to build the morale of all staff in the NHS.” |
| David Loughton of the Royal Wolverhampton trust also said he “does not support imposition”, the HSJ said. | David Loughton of the Royal Wolverhampton trust also said he “does not support imposition”, the HSJ said. |
| John Adler, of Leicester hospitals, said the decision about imposing contracts was “one for the government”, while Heather Tierney-Moore, chief executive at Lancashire care NHS trust, said any imposition would “only be seen as failure”. | John Adler, of Leicester hospitals, said the decision about imposing contracts was “one for the government”, while Heather Tierney-Moore, chief executive at Lancashire care NHS trust, said any imposition would “only be seen as failure”. |