Jeremy Hunt: seven-day working could be imposed on doctors

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has indicated that the government may impose a new contract that would enshrine seven-day working as a requirement for NHS doctors.

In a speech, the Conservative minister highlighted the need for proper Monday-to-Sunday NHS services to ensure patients are as safe at weekends as during the week. This would be achieved by removing the opt-out clause for weekend working for newly-qualified consultants.

He went on to directly criticise the British Medical Association (BMA) for its resistance to implementing seven-day services – a goal the health secretary intends to achieve across most of the NHS by the end of the current parliament.

Mr Hunt said he will discuss a new solution with the association over the next six weeks before coming to a decision in September, adding that the failure of these negotiations may lead to a contract being imposed.

The BMA has responded negatively to Mr Hunt's comments, with BMA council chair Dr Mark Porter calling them a "wholesale attack" on doctors and questioning how the proposed changes will be funded.

He said: "How does he plan to pay for it? How will he ensure there isn't a reduction in midweek services or fewer doctors on wards Monday to Friday? Yet again there are no answers."