BMA calls for introduction of junior doctors’ contract to be delayed

The British Medical Association (BMA) has urged NHS trusts across England to hold off on introducing the government's controversial new contract for junior doctors.

Reinforcing its longstanding opposition to the contract, the BMA has called for a number of non-negotiable contractual requirements to be put in place, while agreement needs to be reached on a new contract that the sector can support.

These requirements include measures to ensure safe working hours are enshrined, with provisions for a junior doctors' forum, an established system for exception reporting with supporting technology, a local equalities impact assessment, and locally negotiated processes for enacting various contractual clauses.

According to the BMA, failure to provide for these arrangements would potentially represent a breach of contract, meaning trusts that do not have them in place should choose to delay the introduction of the contract.

It was noted that the government is not able to compel trusts to begin using the contract according to the published timetable, a position recently confirmed by a High Court ruling.

BMA junior doctors committee chair Ellen McCourt said: "We continue to call for the imposition of the contract by employers to stop while further negotiations take place to resolve outstanding areas of concern and reach agreement on a new contract."

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