Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jeremy Hunt and Caroline Lucas

Tuesday 17th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) (Green)]

9. What plans he has to introduce a new contract for junior doctors.

[The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Jeremy Hunt)]

Junior doctors are the backbone of the NHS. It is highly regrettable that their union has let them down by refusing to negotiate a new contract that will be fairer for doctors and safer for patients, and deliver the truly seven-day services we all want.

[Mr Hunt]

NHS Employers has regular discussions with the Medical Schools Council, which represents the Peninsula medical school. Although the training of doctors is not the specific contractual dispute that is in the headlines, it is something on which we could make significant improvements. We want to use this opportunity to work with medical schools and the royal colleges to see whether we can bring back some of the continuity of training that used to be such an important feature of junior doctors’ training.

[Caroline Lucas]

The person who has let down junior doctors is none other than the Secretary of State. Does he recognise how insulting it is to those doctors to imply that they are not already working seven days? Crucially, will he listen to the professionals—junior doctors and their senior counterparts who support them—and drop his threat to impose the contract so that meaningful talks can take place?