junior doctors

A doctor who was part of a study on links between staffing and deaths in the NHS has accused the Government of “continually misrepresenting” the findings to support its push to change junior contracts. Dr Peter Holt, a vascular surgeon at St George's University of London, said he had written to...

The daughter of the former cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell, a junior NHS doctor, has called for Jeremy Hunt to be sacked, accusing the health secretary of misusing statistics and alienating “an entire generation of junior doctors”. Dr Hannah Mitchell, who is currently working on a research...

Hospitals may go it alone and refuse to impose the new contract on junior doctors proposed by the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, on NHS trainee medics from August. The Guardian has established that none of the 152 foundation trust hospitals in England will be obliged to force their junior...

Some NHS bosses have distanced themselves from suggestions they backed a new junior doctors contract being imposed, after their names were linked to a letter used to justify the move. Names of 20 chief executives appeared on a letter from the government's chief negotiator, advising it to do...

"How can you, in good conscience, single-handedly destroy the morale of junior doctors around the country with the unilateral imposition of your unfair and unsafe contract and then suggest that setting up an inquiry into why morale is low is a good use of taxpayers’ money?"...

Ministers are to impose a contract on junior doctors in England after a final offer was rejected by the British Medical Association. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he had been left with no choice after the union refused to compromise. He said the final deal rejected on Wednesday was an...

Junior doctors' leaders have rejected a "final take-it-or-leave-it" offer made by the government to settle the bitter contract dispute in England. The offer included a concession on Saturday pay, but the British Medical Association said it was not enough. The development is expected to lead...

Last-minute talks are taking place between doctors and government negotiators to avert Wednesday's strike over a contract dispute. Junior doctors in England will take part in their second 24-hour walk-out from 08:00. Informal talks - not involving Acas conciliators- are taking place. It comes...

Jeremy Hunt has told doctors’ leaders that the government’s “door is open” as he seeks a solution to the dispute over new contracts for junior medics. In a letter to Dr Mark Porter, chairman of the British Medical Association’s council, the health secretary said he was sorry to learn of the...

Junior doctors’ strikes will go ahead next week, after talks between unions and the Government on a new contract failed to reach agreement. The British Medical Association said industrial action scheduled for next week will go ahead. However, it will not be the full walkout which was...

The Government has not ruled out imposing a new contract on junior doctors if their dispute over new terms and conditions cannot be resolved in talks, Prime Minister David Cameron has said. Mr Cameron said that giving up the option of imposing a contract would effectively hand a "veto" to the...

Jeremy Hunt has repeated his threat of taking the “nuclear option” and imposing a new contract on junior doctors without their consent, as talks resume on trying to end to the dispute. The government and the British Medical Association (BMA) resumed negotiations on Friday morning, three days...

Hospitals in England are expected to face major disruption later as junior doctors go on strike in a dispute with the government over a new contract. The doctors will provide emergency cover only during the 24-hour walkout, which gets under way at 08:00 GMT. Hospitals have so far postponed...

Whitehall officials encouraged a health service boss to strengthen a letter that raised concerns over whether striking junior doctors would be available to respond in the event of a Paris-style attack, it has been claimed. Emails reveal that Sir Bruce Keogh's letter went through a number of...

The treatment of junior doctors is putting prospective students off studying medicine at university, with more than a third saying it's made them think twice. According to a poll from student discussion forum the Student Room, 37% say they will no longer study medicine thanks to the ongoing...

Doctor suicide is the medical profession’s grubby secret – but it’s unclear why some of those dedicated to preserving life silently plot their own deaths. On my morning drives to the hospital, the tears fell like rain. The prospect of the next 14 hours – 8am to 10pm with not a second’s respite...

Nurses’ value is not measured in money, but this does not give the government licence to cut their bursaries. I would not be where I am today without the compassion, dedication and guidance of nurses. I write this not as a patient, but a junior doctor. For every heart-wrenching story I have to...

The only substance fit for human consumption in my flat after fifty two hours of night shift working over the past weekend is some nicely packaged muesli. Bought out of guilt in an effort to counteract my diet of coffee, hospital canteen stodge and stress-relieving wine, it disappointingly has...

Hospitals across England are facing major disruption with the cancellation of thousands of operations, despite a 24-hour strike by junior doctors being called off. The British Medical Association agreed to suspend the walk-out following a last-minute breakthrough in talks. But it came too late...

The BMA junior doctors executive committee is considering a deal that could see strike action due to begin on Tuesday called off in return for the government temporarily removing the threat of imposition. The eleventh hour announcement came following talks through the conciliation service Acas...