Junior Doctors Contract

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Angela Smith

Monday 30th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. What is the common ground between the Government and junior doctors? We want to make sure they are working safe hours; we do not want to cut their pay; we want safer services for patients; and we want to make sure that the many junior doctors who do work weekends get proper consultant support and training opportunities at weekends as well as during the week. I think that that is enough on which to come to a deal.

[Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)]

In his approach, the Health Secretary has implied that the current junior doctors contract arrangements compromise patient safety, so will he tell us which hospital chief executives have confirmed to him that that is the case?

[Mr Hunt]

I can tell the hon. Lady that NHS Employers, which represents all NHS hospital trusts, has said:

“Trusts are clear that the current contracts for both consultants and junior doctors must be reformed to provide modernised and safe 7 day services in our hospitals.”