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| Junior doctors and government extend contract talks | Junior doctors and government extend contract talks |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Critical talks aimed at ending the bitter dispute between NHS junior doctors and the government will continue until Wednesday in an attempt to build on “progress” made to find a solution. | |
| The negotiations were due to finish on Friday afternoon as part of a time-limited, week-long truce between the British Medical Association and the government. But they will now carry on until the middle of next week, still under the auspices of the independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). | |
| Sir Brendan Barber, the ex-Trades Union Congress leader who now chairs Acas and has been chairing this week’s talks, said the extra time represented a final opportunity to agree a deal and thus avert junior doctors in England taking further industrial action. They have already staged stoppages on eight days since January, including two days of all-out strikes last month. | Sir Brendan Barber, the ex-Trades Union Congress leader who now chairs Acas and has been chairing this week’s talks, said the extra time represented a final opportunity to agree a deal and thus avert junior doctors in England taking further industrial action. They have already staged stoppages on eight days since January, including two days of all-out strikes last month. |
| “The talks have been conducted in a constructive and positive atmosphere. In my judgment some real progress has been made to address outstanding issues,” Barber said. | “The talks have been conducted in a constructive and positive atmosphere. In my judgment some real progress has been made to address outstanding issues,” Barber said. |
| “I reached the view, however, in the last 24 hours that a limited amount of additional time would be needed to give the process a chance of reaching a successful conclusion.” | “I reached the view, however, in the last 24 hours that a limited amount of additional time would be needed to give the process a chance of reaching a successful conclusion.” |
| He said he proposed to the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, and the BMA that the talks should continue until Wednesday and that each side should restate the commitments they made before this round began. | |
| “These were that the government would suspend any action towards the implementation of the proposed new contract, and that the BMA would suspend any decision on further industrial action. I am grateful that both parties have agreed to this proposal.” | |
| Barber added: “This is a strictly time-limited extension and represents a final opportunity to find an agreement as the basis for the resolution of this difficult dispute.” | Barber added: “This is a strictly time-limited extension and represents a final opportunity to find an agreement as the basis for the resolution of this difficult dispute.” |
| Barber urged both sides to keep details of the discussions confidential to try to keep the process on track. | Barber urged both sides to keep details of the discussions confidential to try to keep the process on track. |
| “I understand that there will be considerable media interest in this issue but I hope that you will understand why my priority, and that of the parties, must be to maintain the confidentiality that has given this process a chance of finding a breakthrough. | “I understand that there will be considerable media interest in this issue but I hope that you will understand why my priority, and that of the parties, must be to maintain the confidentiality that has given this process a chance of finding a breakthrough. |
| Related: Junior doctors have been radicalised by Jeremy Hunt’s smears | Rachel Clarke | |
| “Both parties asked me to make this statement to report on what progress has been made and to indicate that they will not be making any additional statements.” | “Both parties asked me to make this statement to report on what progress has been made and to indicate that they will not be making any additional statements.” |
| Medical leaders welcomed the extension of the talks. | Medical leaders welcomed the extension of the talks. |
| Prof Neena Modi, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “This is positive news for government, junior doctors and, most importantly, patients.” | Prof Neena Modi, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “This is positive news for government, junior doctors and, most importantly, patients.” |
| While the college hoped the extra time would bring about a speedy resolution, she said, “we also wish to see open and honest recognition of the several serious issues facing health services in England of which this dispute is symptomatic and which are damaging to the health and wellbeing of infants, children and young people.” | While the college hoped the extra time would bring about a speedy resolution, she said, “we also wish to see open and honest recognition of the several serious issues facing health services in England of which this dispute is symptomatic and which are damaging to the health and wellbeing of infants, children and young people.” |