Junior Doctors’ Contract Negotiations

Robert Jenrick Excerpts

Monday 8th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Ben Gummer]

Sir David Dalton has also made it clear that we have to reform all contracts. One can place the balance where one wishes, but it is important that we reform the juniors’ and the consultants’ contracts together, so that they can fit within the service of a piece. It is wrong, for instance, to have a junior on duty taking decisions at the weekend and not be covered by consultants supervising and helping with those decisions. We need to ensure that there is consistency of rostering through the week and at the weekend involving both juniors and seniors.

[Robert Jenrick (Newark) (Con)]

I represent many junior doctors. I have met them and I have tried to represent their views to the Government, but I have always taken the view that my primary responsibility is to the patients of the NHS. One of those patients, a constituent of mine, emailed me this week to say that a consequence of the strike would be the

“cancellation of my wife’s biopsy, planned for this week, without which her already shortened life will be shorter”.

Will the Minister, the shadow Minister and the whole House join me in condemning this strike? It will achieve nothing. It is a distraction from the negotiations, which need to continue, and it will put the lives of my constituent and others across the country at risk.

[Ben Gummer]

I cannot possibly add to the comment made by my hon. Friend, and I just hope the shadow Secretary of State takes note.