Junior doctors refuse to call off three-day strike after government's formal pay talk invite

Junior doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA) have refused to call off next week’s three-day strike.

They were responding to Health Secretary Steve Barclay’s invitation to enter formal pay talks, made on the condition that junior doctors cancel all planned strike action.

Co-chairs of the BMA’s junior doctors’ committee, Dr Vivek Trivedi and Dr Robert Laurenson, wrote: “We remain open to entering talks with Government anytime and anywhere to bring this dispute to a swift resolution and restore the pay that junior doctors have lost.

“We would encourage you to reconsider the preconditions that are currently preventing talks from taking place.

“As you have known for more than two weeks, our strikes will commence on Monday. And you also know, until we have a credible offer, we are not in a position to call them off.”

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Earlier Steve Barclay said he had proposed negotiations “on the same basis other health unions accepted”, after planned industrial action by tens of thousands of key workers was suspended when the Government agreed to discuss pay for this year.

Unions representing ambulance workers, physiotherapists, nurses and midwives have been in talks with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) since Tuesday.

But the discussions have not involved junior doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA), who are still due to walk out for 72 hours on Monday.

Mr Barclay tweeted on Friday night: “I’ve written to @BMA_JuniorDocs inviting them for formal pay talks on the same basis other health unions accepted, including calling off next week’s strike.

“Let’s have a constructive dialogue to make the NHS a better place to work and ensure we deliver the care patients need.”

However, the BMA junior doctors faction noted the Health Secretary did not attend talks on Friday.

Responding to Mr Barclay’s tweet, the @BMA_JuniorDocs Twitter account posted: “Just a reminder that we had a meeting today which @SteveBarclay failed to attend…

“Without any credible negotiations we have no choice but to strike on Monday and continue our fight for #PayRestoration.”

Nearly 40,000 junior doctors voted to take industrial action in the BMA ballot.

More to follow...

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