Junior doctors’ strike called off: Five-day walk out suspended after patient safety concerns

The British Medical Association say they are not backing down in the fight over a new contract

Doctors were told NHS England could not cope with the notice period of industrial action given (Getty)

Junior doctors’ strikes set to take place for five consecutive days next week have been called off following concerns for patient safety.

Doctors, represented by the British Medical Association (BMA), recently announced a string of stoppages as the longstanding dispute over a new contract for training medics drawn up by Jeremy Hunt continues.

The junior doctors committee (JDC) said they had called off the strike as they had been told NHS England could not cope with the notice period of industrial action given.

Last week, the BMA said training medics would perform a series of strikes by withdrawing labour, including emergency care, for a week until the end of the year.

While the first wave of strikes supposed to begin on 12 September have been cancelled industrial action planned for October, November and December will still go ahead unless a new deal is negotiated by the government,the BMA stressed.

A statement from Ellen McCourt, who chairs the BMA’s JDC, said: “Over the past few days we have been described as radical, we have been described as militant, we have been described as prioritising ourselves over our patients safety.

“This is not true. Patient safety remains a primary concern. For the first time in this dispute NHS England have told us that a service under such pressure cannot cope with the notice period of industrial action given. Our hospitals are chronically understaffed. Our NHS is desperately underfunded. We listen to our colleagues when they they tell us that they need more time to keep patients safe.

“The BA is therefore suspending the industrial action planned for the week of 12 September. The remaining programme of industrial action stays in place.”

The General Medical Council (GMC) had previously urged junior doctors’ to call off the strike and Professor Terence Stephenson, Chair of the GMC, said the strike could not be justified.

“Last week, on behalf of a number of organisations, we asked the BMA to consider moving the start date of their industrial action.

“We are therefore pleased that they have agreed to do so. This delay will give hospitals and other providers more time to plan for reduced medical cover, thereby reducing the impact and potential harm to patients.”

A Department of Health spokesperson said: “The public will be relieved that the BMA has decided to call off the first phase of these unprecedented strikes, so this is welcome news.

“But if the BMA were really serious about patient safety, they would immediately cancel their remaining plans for industrial action which, as the GMC says, will only cause patients to suffer.”