THE GOVERNMENT has withdrawn an offer to create 1,000 additional doctor training posts in England after the British Medical Association (BMA) refused to call off a six-day strike scheduled for next week.
The proposal was part of a wider package aimed at resolving the dispute with resident doctors. Prime minister Keir Starmer had set a 48-hour deadline on Monday for the strike to be cancelled if the union wanted the offer to remain.
The strike was announced last week after talks over pay and job shortages broke down. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said doctors had been offered a “generous deal”, but added that it was no longer possible to proceed with the training posts, BBC reported.
“These posts would have gone live this month, but as systems now need to prepare for strikes and more uncertainty, it simply won't be operationally or financially possible to launch these posts in time to recruit for this year.”
The government said the decision would not affect overall NHS doctor numbers, as the posts were to come from existing short-term roles.
BMA resident doctor committee chair Dr Jack Fletcher called the move “extremely disappointing”, BBC reported.
“It is genuinely disheartening to be at this point after what had been constructive talks up until a few weeks ago, when the government moved the goalposts.
“It is simply wrong that the development of the doctors of the future is being used as a pawn like this.
“We have consistently maintained that we are willing to postpone industrial action should a genuinely credible offer be provided.”
Talks also covered exam fee support and faster pay progression, but the BMA said the deal had been watered down. The union also called a 3.5% pay rise a “crushing blow”, citing inflation concerns linked to the Iran war.
The strike, starting at 07:00 BST on Tuesday, will be the 15th since March 2023, BBC reported.
