The contract proposal has been withdrawn. This has been a brutal struggle, but your persistence forced them to listen. Keep watching the developments to ensure this stays buried.
February 25, 2016
Final supporters
Dear Sir David,
We are writing in response to your recent letter concerning the Government’s continued attempt to impose a contract that is overtly regressive and ultimately dangerous for the public.
We quite agree with your opinion that the Government’s message has become muddled as regards 7 day services. Not only has the government yet to define what is meant by 7 day services, but the use of 7 day service reforms to justify a poorly thought through junior doctor contract appears extremely ill advised, especially given that NHSP’s survey revealed only 6% of providers saw the existing contract as a major block to reform. It is also salient that emerging evidence demonstrates that the government’s 7 day reforms are not cost effective1.
There are undoubtedly already worsening systemic recruitment and retention problems in both primary and secondary care; notably the consequent rota gaps are already posing a significant patient safety risk as a result of excessively fatigued junior doctors. There is clear evidence that recruitment and retention was already deteriorating before the threatened contract imposition as demonstrated by the Foundation survey, while the dangerous rota gaps have been acknowledged by numerous professional bodies and NHS Providers.
Fundamentally the government’s proposed contract seeks to allow 7 day reforms to be provided on the cheap by redefining antisocial hours as plain time and nights as day. The increase in basic pay within an overall neutral pay envelope inevitably means that this new contract will see antisocial hours rewarded significantly less than under the current contract. Notably recruitment and retention is already worst in specialities with the most antisocial hours, and this is where this regressive undervaluing of antisocial hours will hit hardest, impacting negatively on the already brittle recruitment and retention situation, and thus threatening the safety of patients.
Fundamentally something has to give: either this ill-considered contract will be imposed resulting in a significant increase in dangerous rota gaps and avoidable patient harm, or the overall pay envelope must be expanded to reward this increased volume of antisocial hours and thus protect against this dangerous exacerbation of the recruitment and retention crises.
It is clear that if the Government wishes to expand services, it should fund this expansion properly and safely, as attempting to expand services without paying for it will lead to a workforce meltdown and it will make 7 day improvements totally unachievable and unsustainable,
Yours sincerely
1. Appleby J. A 7/7 NHS: what price equity? BMJ (Clinical research ed) 2016; 352.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
February 7, 2016
February 6, 2016
One hundred people have put their names to this now. It is exhausting work to stay focused on the details when the situation feels so bleak but seeing these signatures helps me keep my head above water.
February 5, 2016
The days feel long and the uphill climb is exhausting but we are getting closer to our initial goal. I need you to pass this link to someone else today so we can finally crest this five hundred signature mark.
February 4, 2016
The momentum behind this letter is reaching a point where they can no longer pretend we are invisible. I am exhausted by this fight but seeing so many of you join this effort keeps me moving forward.
Reached 100 supporters
February 3, 2016
98 Comments
Consultant supporting juniors in Paediatrics. Specialities that already provide excellent cover 24/7 will be hit hardest and morale is at an all time low
The letter makes no reference to one of the most vulnerable groups of doctors, it the group that will get a pay cut: the less than full time trainees, especially those in acute specialities!
Junior doctors are the barrier to a 7 day NHS. If we want this jets have a real conversation about this but blindly making Saturday 'plain time' does not address this. It is a way of paying doctors less for Hirt antisocial hours.
I am due to qualify as a doctor in August. I've worked for 8 years as a post-graduate to get to this stage, paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in fees, and now I'm not sure I will be able to stay in the job I love.
Mr Dalton, It is obvious that you have been negotiating within Hunt 'red lines' over unsocial hours. This is not negotiating in good faith. Rather than point the finger at the BMA, may I ask in future for a more honest letter of advice which reflects your inability to deliver an agreement because of DH inflexibility?
Saddened by the relentless victimisation of hard working committed doctors through the implementation of this ridiculous contract.
Totally agree with sentiments. A mere patient
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The contract proposal has been withdrawn. This has been a brutal struggle, but your persistence forced them to listen. Keep watching the developments to ensure this stays buried.
February 25, 2016
Final supporters
Dear Sir David,
We are writing in response to your recent letter concerning the Government’s continued attempt to impose a contract that is overtly regressive and ultimately dangerous for the public.
We quite agree with your opinion that the Government’s message has become muddled as regards 7 day services. Not only has the government yet to define what is meant by 7 day services, but the use of 7 day service reforms to justify a poorly thought through junior doctor contract appears extremely ill advised, especially given that NHSP’s survey revealed only 6% of providers saw the existing contract as a major block to reform. It is also salient that emerging evidence demonstrates that the government’s 7 day reforms are not cost effective1.
There are undoubtedly already worsening systemic recruitment and retention problems in both primary and secondary care; notably the consequent rota gaps are already posing a significant patient safety risk as a result of excessively fatigued junior doctors. There is clear evidence that recruitment and retention was already deteriorating before the threatened contract imposition as demonstrated by the Foundation survey, while the dangerous rota gaps have been acknowledged by numerous professional bodies and NHS Providers.
Fundamentally the government’s proposed contract seeks to allow 7 day reforms to be provided on the cheap by redefining antisocial hours as plain time and nights as day. The increase in basic pay within an overall neutral pay envelope inevitably means that this new contract will see antisocial hours rewarded significantly less than under the current contract. Notably recruitment and retention is already worst in specialities with the most antisocial hours, and this is where this regressive undervaluing of antisocial hours will hit hardest, impacting negatively on the already brittle recruitment and retention situation, and thus threatening the safety of patients.
Fundamentally something has to give: either this ill-considered contract will be imposed resulting in a significant increase in dangerous rota gaps and avoidable patient harm, or the overall pay envelope must be expanded to reward this increased volume of antisocial hours and thus protect against this dangerous exacerbation of the recruitment and retention crises.
It is clear that if the Government wishes to expand services, it should fund this expansion properly and safely, as attempting to expand services without paying for it will lead to a workforce meltdown and it will make 7 day improvements totally unachievable and unsustainable,
Yours sincerely
1. Appleby J. A 7/7 NHS: what price equity? BMJ (Clinical research ed) 2016; 352.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
February 7, 2016
February 6, 2016
One hundred people have put their names to this now. It is exhausting work to stay focused on the details when the situation feels so bleak but seeing these signatures helps me keep my head above water.
February 5, 2016
The days feel long and the uphill climb is exhausting but we are getting closer to our initial goal. I need you to pass this link to someone else today so we can finally crest this five hundred signature mark.
February 4, 2016
The momentum behind this letter is reaching a point where they can no longer pretend we are invisible. I am exhausted by this fight but seeing so many of you join this effort keeps me moving forward.
Reached 100 supporters
February 3, 2016
98 Comments
Dear Mr dalton ,I find it highly hypocritical that nhs management and executives can redefine normal working times for doctors but the same persons cannot be reached after 1700 on a weekday and do not work weekends. As doctors the gmc tells us to be leaders. Leaders should set the example. Why are our Nhs 'leaders ' exempt from such criteria?
Consultant supporting juniors in Paediatrics. Specialities that already provide excellent cover 24/7 will be hit hardest and morale is at an all time low
The letter makes no reference to one of the most vulnerable groups of doctors, it the group that will get a pay cut: the less than full time trainees, especially those in acute specialities!
Junior doctors are the barrier to a 7 day NHS. If we want this jets have a real conversation about this but blindly making Saturday 'plain time' does not address this. It is a way of paying doctors less for Hirt antisocial hours.
I am due to qualify as a doctor in August. I've worked for 8 years as a post-graduate to get to this stage, paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in fees, and now I'm not sure I will be able to stay in the job I love.
Mr Dalton, It is obvious that you have been negotiating within Hunt 'red lines' over unsocial hours. This is not negotiating in good faith. Rather than point the finger at the BMA, may I ask in future for a more honest letter of advice which reflects your inability to deliver an agreement because of DH inflexibility?
Saddened by the relentless victimisation of hard working committed doctors through the implementation of this ridiculous contract.
Totally agree with sentiments. A mere patient
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Dear Mr dalton ,I find it highly hypocritical that nhs management and executives can redefine normal working times for doctors but the same persons cannot be reached after 1700 on a weekday and do not work weekends. As doctors the gmc tells us to be leaders. Leaders should set the example. Why are our Nhs 'leaders ' exempt from such criteria?