Juniors’ contract unchanged in Wales
Junior doctors in Wales will not have a new contract imposed on them, following lobbying by the BMA.
The Welsh Government confirmed it will retain the current contract for doctors in training. It comes after a similar decision was made by the Scottish Government last month.
An announcement is still awaited from the Northern Ireland administration, while the UK Government has said it will impose a contract on trainees in England from next August — a move the BMA has pledged to fight.
Commenting on the move by the Welsh Government, BMA Wales junior doctors committee chair Bethan Roberts said: 'I am delighted that the Welsh Government has decided, in line with the position in Scotland, to continue with the current contract for junior doctors in Wales, instead of following the UK Government and imposing a new contract on junior doctors in England, which is unsafe and unfair.
'It is welcome news to junior doctors in Wales, as we have been pressing the Welsh Government for some time to adopt this approach.'
Dr Roberts added: 'An imposed contract would have been hugely detrimental to junior doctors and the NHS, and we are pleased that our constructive working relationship with Welsh Government has led us to this position today.'
'Dialogue and discussion'
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: 'We have a positive and constructive relationship with BMA Wales and I am keen for this partnership to continue.
'We have noted [health secretary Jeremy Hunt’s] intention to impose a new junior doctor contract in England.
'We believe in proceeding by dialogue, discussion and agreement and that is the relationship we have with junior doctors in Wales. We hope this will continue in the future.’
The spokesperson said the Welsh Government would reflect on developments in other parts of the UK as they emerge.
‘In the meantime, we will continue to service the current new deal contract for junior doctors in Wales and only move towards negotiations when the time is right,’ the spokesperson said.
Find out more about the contract negotiations
