Government and junior doctors ‘mutually agree’ to enter mediation over pay dispute

England’s junior doctors have ‘mutually agreed’ with the Government to enter mediation to try to resolve their drawn-out pay dispute.

Announcing the move, the Government said this was a significant step forward after both parties agreed on a preferred mediator.

It follows more than a year of industrial action with no formal talks since December.

The BMA has also announced today that it will put an improved pay offer to vote for specialist, associate specialist, and specialty (SAS) doctors in England, following a fresh round of talks. NHS consultants voted to accept a revised pay offer in April.

The BMA’s GP Committee for England remains formally ‘in dispute’ with NHS England after a contract imposition with ICBs warned of ‘significant’ risks that could arise from potential industrial action later this year.

Commenting on the agreement to enter mediation with junior doctors, health and social care secretary Victoria Atkins said her duty was to patients and she wanted to ‘pursue all avenues to resolve the dispute with the BMA junior doctors committee’. 

‘I am pleased the BMA have agreed to explore mediation and I am hopeful that it will provide a way forward.’

Ms Atkins added she was pleased the BMA had agreed to put a revised offer to SAS doctors.

‘If accepted, it will realign pay scales and improve career progression opportunities for SAS doctors, allowing us to build on our historic progress on waiting lists while supporting the workforce. 

‘We’re making progress on industrial action just weeks after our breakthrough with consultants, and I hope members vote to accept – this is clearly a good deal for doctors and for patients.’

Junior Doctor Committee co-chairs Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi said:  ’We have been in dispute for more than a year with the Government over declining junior doctor pay, exploring various avenues to try and resolve it. 

 ‘We have been looking at ways of restoring trust between parties and believe that an independent mediator can help break the logjam.’   

They added: ‘We hope to reach a credible solution as soon as possible.’

Dr Ujjwala Mohite, chair of the SAS UK Committee, said SAS doctors had told the BMA loud and clear that the Government’s first offer wasn’t good enough.

‘We’ve since been back in conversation with ministers and, after weeks of intense negotiation, secured an offer that we feel will be acceptable to members.   

‘Today’s offer shows how far SAS doctors have come in the fight to restore their value, with improved pay scales for those on newer contracts, consolidated uplifts for those on older ones, and recognition that [locally employed doctors] need better job security. ‘