British Medical Association calls government reckless over pay talks

The British Medical Association has accused the authorities of "reckless" behaviour up of the results of a onslaught ballot by inferior doctors.

The BMA's Professor Philip Banfield said the premier curate and wellness caput were refusing to participate meaningful negotiations with unions.

The Department of Health and Social Care said it had met with the BMA and different unions to sermon pay.

BMA members are expected to ballot successful favour of onslaught action.

Professor Banfield, the BMA's seat of council, said that Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Steve Barclay were "standing connected the precipice of an historical mistake".

He accused the authorities of "guaranteeing escalation", adding that officials were "reckless" for reasoning they could enactment soundless and hold it out.

He made his comments astatine a young doctors' league connected Sunday, telling attendees they deserved amended and were not costly for the expertise and skills they provided.

Around 45,000 members of the BMA person been balloted connected onslaught action, with the effect of the ballot expected connected Monday.

The BMA has already warned it volition signifier a three-day strike if determination is simply a ballot successful favour of onslaught action.

Like caller strikes by nurses and ambulance crews, the quality centres astir pay.

The existent wage statement for inferior doctors ends successful March 2023 - and the authorities says expanding wage successful enactment with ostentation is unaffordable.

Professor Banfield besides accused the authorities of "letting patients down", adding: "All NHS unit are lasting up for our patients successful a strategy that seems to person forgotten that valuing unit and their well-being is straight linked to diligent information and amended outcomes of care."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We hugely worth the enactment of inferior doctors and we person been wide that supporting and retaining the NHS workforce is 1 of our main priorities.

"As portion of a multi-year woody we agreed with the BMA, inferior doctors' wage has accrued by a cumulative 8.2% since 2019/20. We besides introduced a higher wage set for the astir experienced unit and accrued rates for nighttime shifts.

"The Health and Social Care Secretary has met with the BMA and different aesculapian unions to sermon pay, conditions and workload. He's been wide helium wants to proceed discussing however we tin marque the marque the NHS a amended spot to enactment for all."