Wes Streeting has sent a personal letter to NHS resident doctors, saying "I deeply regret the position we now find ourselves in" as they prepare to strike. The Health Secretary said while he cannot pledge a bigger pay rise, he is committed to progress to improve their working lives.
He also said he does not now believe the British Medical Association's resident doctors committee (RDC) has "engaged with me in good faith" over bids to avert the strike. Thousands of resident doctors are to walk out from 7am on Friday for five days.
Government defends 28.9% pay award
In the letter sent on Thursday afternoon, seen by the PA news agency, Streeting said: "I wanted to write to you personally about the situation we find ourselves in. This Government came into office, just over a year ago, with a great deal of sympathy for the arguments that resident doctors were making about pay, working conditions and career progression."
He added: "I was determined to build a genuine partnership with the… RDC to make real improvements on all three fronts. We have made progress together. While some of my critics in Parliament and the media believe I was naive to agree such a generous pay deal to end the strikes last year, I stand by that choice."
Streeting defends Labour's approach
Streeting said he had agreed that pay deal "because I believed it to be fair", adding resident doctors have now had an average 28.9% pay award under Labour. He added: "Strike action should always be a last resort - not the action you take immediately following a 28.9% pay award from a Government that is committed to working with you to further improve your lives at work."
The Health Secretary said: "While I've been honest with the BMA RDC that we cannot afford to go further on pay this year, I was prepared to negotiate on areas related to your conditions at work and career progression, including measures that would put money back in the pockets of resident doctors."
Negotiations break down over working conditions
Based on discussions with the BMA RDC leaders between July 8 and 19, Streeting set out three substantive areas where he believed they could work together to make real improvements. These included tackling the "arduous" training pathway, and "I made it clear that I was prepared to agree actions to reduce the costs you face as a result of training", he said.
He said he had also been looking at the cost of equipment, food and drink, and "was prepared to explore how many further training posts could be created - additional to the 1,000 already announced - as early as possible". Streeting said he had asked the BMA for strikes to be postponed for a "few weeks so we could work together on a detailed package that could form an offer to you to end this dispute".
Minister accuses union of bad faith
He wrote to the RDC on Monday evening setting out a way to avert strike action, which had been discussed with the RDC in draft form. "I had responded to their requests for where additional information was required," he said. "I no longer believe that they have engaged with me in good faith."
Streeting continued: "I deeply regret the position we now find ourselves in. The public, and I am sure many of you, do not understand the rush to strike action. I would like to thank all those that will be turning up to work and supporting their colleagues in providing care for patients despite the challenging circumstances. I urge you to join them. We can achieve more for both doctors and patients by working together."
NHS prepares for five-day disruption
Later, Streeting said there is "no getting around the fact that these strikes will hit the progress we are making in turning the NHS around". He added: "But I am determined to keep disruption to patients at a minimum and continue with the recovery we have begun delivering in the last 12 months after a decade-and-a-half of neglect. We will not be knocked off course."
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, told PA health staff will be working "flat out" to see as many patients as they can during the strike, after NHS England made clear it wants as much pre-planned care as possible to continue. He said: "Striking doctors should think carefully if they are really doing the right thing for patients, for the NHS and for themselves."
Public urged to continue seeking care
The public have been urged to keep coming forward for NHS care during the walkout. GP surgeries will open as usual and urgent care and A&E will continue to be available, alongside 111, NHS England said.
The Health Service Journal reported that NHS chief Sir Jim Mackey had told trust leaders to try to crack down on resident doctors' ability to work locum shifts during the strike and earn money that way. Leaders have also been encouraged to seek "derogations", where resident doctors are required to work during the strikes, in more circumstances.
Union highlights pay disparity claims
The BMA argues real-terms pay has fallen by around 20% since 2008, and is pushing for full "pay restoration". The union is taking out national newspaper adverts on Friday, saying it wants to "lay bare the significant pay difference between a resident doctor and their non-medically qualified assistants".
It said the adverts "make clear that while a newly-qualified doctor's assistant is taking home over £24 per hour, a newly-qualified doctor with years of medical school experience is on just £18.62 per hour". The BMA said Streeting and his officials have refused to continue talks across the strike days and the minister's letter to them "amounted to nothing more than vague promises on non-pay issues".
Doctors demand £4 hourly pay rise
RDC co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said in a statement: "Pay erosion has now got to the point where a doctor's assistant can be paid up to 30% more than a resident doctor. That's going to strike most of the public that use the NHS as deeply unfair."
They added: "Resident doctors are not worth less than they were 17 years ago, but unfortunately they've seen their pay erode by more than 21% in the last two decades. We're not working 21% less hard so why should our pay suffer? We're asking for an extra £4 per hour to restore our pay. It's a small price to pay for those who may hold your life in their hands."
The statement said Streeting had every opportunity to prevent the strike, and added: "We want these strikes to be the last we ever have to participate in. We are asking Mr Streeting to get back around the table with a serious proposal as soon as possible - this time with the intent to bring this to a just conclusion."
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
