Junior Doctors’ Contract Negotiations Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Junior Doctors’ Contract Negotiations

Matt Warman Excerpts
Monday 8th February 2016

(8 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Ben Gummer Portrait Ben Gummer
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If the BMA was truly representing its members, it would be thinking about patient welfare during the strikes. Just now, we heard my colleagues describe with great eloquence the kinds of effects on individuals that a strike will cause. These strikes will get us no nearer to a solution; the only way to come to a solution is by negotiation.

Matt Warman Portrait Matt Warman (Boston and Skegness) (Con)
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It is testament to the progress being made in the course of these negotiations that the BMA has cancelled some strikes and has downgraded the one we are expecting on Wednesday, but does the Minister agree that one crucial thing that would make the greater difference would be condemnation from the Opposition?

Ben Gummer Portrait Ben Gummer
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It would make a significant difference. Now that the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition is sitting on the Front Bench, he might like to take note of the fact that if we have a united political response condemning strikes that affect patients and their safety, it helps to bring negotiations to a more profitable end.