Off the wire
• Slovakia forging ahead with judiciary digitization  • Germany approves new bill to ban selling e-cigarettes to young people  • News Analysis: Green shoots of growth to meet China's climate-change promises  • Xinhua Insight: Tibetans weave faith into music  • EU, Slovak officials gather for Tatra Summit 2015 in Bratislava  • Bulgaria, China to reciprocally establish cultural centers  • Security officials of China, Kazakhstan meet for further cooperation  • KFC-branded restaurant shut down in Iran for lack of licence: police  • China to deliver 50 bln express parcels by 2020: Official  • 1st LD-Writethru: Xi, Ma to shake hands in historic meeting: mainland official  
You are here: 　 Home

Junior doctors offered 11 pct pay rise in last minute bid to avert walk-out

Xinhua, November 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

England's 50,000 junior doctors were offered an 11 percent pay rise Wednesday, just 24 hours before they are balloted on taking industrial action.

The new pay deal is part of a last ditch effort by government health secretary Jeremy Hunt to avert a walk-out by NHS medics in hospitals across the country.

Hunt has written to all junior doctors outlining changes and concessions the government is offering in a long-running row over working hours.

The government is committed to hospitals offering a wider 7-day service to patients, which will mean changes in weekend working hours for medics.

In a statement issued today Hunt has called on doctors' negotiators to return to the negotiating table.

The British Medical Association (BMA) which represents all doctors, has organised the official ballot which will run for two weeks.

If enough junior doctors support industrial action it could lead to doctors downing stethoscopes and walking out of hospitals, proposed pay rise would see the basic pay of a junior doctor rise from 22,636 to 25,500 pounds.

The health secretary said three out of every four junior doctors would get pay rises, with the rest seeing their salaries protected.

In his statement Hunt said: "Junior doctors are the backbone of the NHS, but the current contract has failed to prevent some working unsafe hours, and doesn't reward them fairly. We know also that they feel unsupported because consultants and diagnostic services are not always available in the evenings and at weekends.

"Today a firm offer for a new contract has been published by NHS Employers. The new contract will be fairer for doctors, safer for patients and juniors alike, better for training, and will better support a 7-day NHS.

"This offer builds on the cast-iron guarantees that I have previously offered the British Medical Association (BMA) including that we would not remove a single penny from the junior doctors' pay bill, and we would maintain average earnings for junior doctors. The proposals offer an 11 percent increase to basic pay, with further increases linked to progressing through training and taking on roles with greater responsibility - instead of being based on time served.

"Since they withdrew from negotiations in October 2014 the BMA have refused to return to the table. In light of today's announcement we hope that the BMA will now agree to return to negotiations."

In the past few weeks thousands of doctors have marched through city streets, winning public support, in protest at the proposed changes to their working patterns, claiming patients would be put at risk. Endit