Streeting invites doctors for fresh talks next week

The Secretary of Health, Wes Street, invited the leaders of resident doctors for new conferences next week in order to end the long -standing dispute.

This comes after the union of doctors, the BMA wrote at street on Tuesday evening to ask for negotiations.

In response, Streting said that he would not negotiate on remuneration, but was willing to continue the talks that have broken down last week by examining working conditions, including career progression, examination fees and Rotas.

However, he warned the union that he had lost the government’s goodwill because of the last strike, which ended on Wednesday.

The British Medical Association has not yet responded to the invitation, but the BBC includes its requested letter for conferences on remuneration.

The Street letter said it was “ironic” that the BMA asked for talks, stressing that he had never left the negotiating table.

The talks ended last Tuesday when the union confirmed that its five -day disengagement was going ahead.

It was the twelfth strike since spring 2023, but the first under work.

Shortly after the elections, streets concluded an agreement with resident doctors who have seen a break from industrial action.

This led to a 22% increase in remuneration over a period of two years. They received another average increase of 5.4% this year, but the BMA renewed a strike action arguing that it was not enough because the salary was still a fifth lower than what it was in 2008.

On Wednesday, in his letter, Streting said that the last strike action was “deeply disappointing” and “entirely useless” given the talks that had started could have made substantial improvements to the professional life of doctors.

He said the strike had had a harmful impact on patients.

And Streetting added: “Your action has also been slightly relaxed, because you wasted the goodwill that you had with me and this government.”

But he said that his door had remained open, adding that he was happy to meet at the start of next week.

It is not yet clear the extent of the disturbances of the health services caused by the last strike.

The NHS has tried to maintain most non -urgent work, such as knee and hip operations.

Some hospitals have said they had been able to do more than 80% of their normal activity – before, it had been as low as 50%.

Resident doctors represent almost half of the medical workforce and go from doctors fresh out of the university to those who have up to a decade of experience.