Health Secretary Steve Barclay criticises junior medical doctors for ‘strolling away’ from talks forward of strike

Health Secretary Steve Barclay has criticised junior medical doctors, accusing them of “walking away” from talks over pay and situations.

The British Medical Association – the union representing many from the occupation – has referred to as a five-day strike in July and is demanding an increase of 35% to revive their wages to 2008 ranges.

It has additionally accused the federal government of refusing to get around the desk to barter a deal.

But Mr Barclay advised Sky News that junior medical doctors had “refused to move” throughout three weeks of talks earlier this yr, including: “It was the junior doctors sadly who walked away from the discussions and called a further strike.”

Politics stay: Striking medical doctors ‘walked away’ from talks, says Barclay

Junior medical doctors went on strike for 3 days in June, following a four-day walk-out in April and three days in March.

The BMA claims pay has decreased by greater than 1 / 4 since 2008 when inflation was taken under consideration, so the 5% provide on the desk was far under what was wanted.

And they mentioned many medical doctors had been burnt out from an rising workload.

But Mr Barclay mentioned the 35% pay restoration demand was not “affordable in the context of inflation and the other pressures” on the financial system.

Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, the well being secretary mentioned the upcoming strikes had been “hugely concerning”, with 1000’s of appointments and pre-planned operations set to be disrupted.

But he put the blame on the door of junior medical doctors and the BMA, saying they had been those refusing to barter.

“We have [talked to them], we had three weeks of talks… the department agreed to bring in an intermediary,” he mentioned. “But not withstanding [the intermediary’s] excellent work, the discussions that we had with the junior doctors to date, they have refused to move from a 35% demand.

“I do not suppose that within the context of the broader financial system, [with] the necessity to get inflation down, that could be a truthful demand.”

Mr Barclay conceded that “both sides need to move” to achieve an settlement, and claimed the federal government had been “willing to do so”.

But he mentioned that with out the strikes being referred to as off, there was little room for negotiation.

“We have been consistent, not just in health but in all departments, that if people suspend the strikes then we can get round the table and have talks, but at the moment the junior doctors have walked away from the talks,” mentioned the well being secretary.

“We were in middle of discussions with them. There were a range of other factors that they have raised with me in terms of annual leave that is often cancelled at short notice, rotas that are changed, some of the wellbeing issues around circumstances in hospitals.

“We are blissful to debate [those issues].”

Sophy Ridge also quizzed Mr Barclay on whether the government would accept recommendations from public sector pay review bodies for wages rises next year after speculation Prime Minister Rishi Sunak planned to block them in an attempt to tackle inflation.

Pay review bodies or PRBs take evidence from across sectors like the NHS and education each year, as well as submissions from government, before saying what wage rises should be introduced for the following 12 months – and they are expected to say healthcare staff should have a 6% uplift.

Amid anger from unions about the figures failing to match inflation last year, the health secretary insisted it was right for ministers to “proceed to defer to that course of to make sure choices stability the wants of employees and the broader financial system”.

But this morning, he refused to confirm ministers would accept the PRB proposals, instead they would look at them “within the spherical”.

Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson was also asked by Sophy Ridge if Labour would accept PRB recommendations if they were in power – with a 6.5% expected bump for teachers.

However, she would not commit to the figure either, saying it was a “sophisticated” issue due to Conservatives “crashing the financial system”.

“I would see that as the starting point for negotiation,” she mentioned. “We can’t get anywhere unless we’re prepared to negotiate.

“I’m not going to return on this programme and decide to a determine, I would not anticipate the secretary of state to try this both, that’s what will occur through the course of a negotiation.”