LONDON, March 25 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

Resident doctors have missed out on the chance to vote on a landmark new deal for their profession, as the British Medical Association Resident Doctors Committee (BMA RDC) has rejected a historic deal put to them by the government to boost their pay, enhance their career opportunities, improve their working lives and put more money into resident doctor's pockets.

The government has already taken significant action to improve resident doctor pay andworking conditions - delivering a 28.9% pay rise over three years as well asaccelerating legislation toprioritise UK medical graduates and others with significant NHS experience through the MedicalTrainingPrioritisation Act.

On top of this, since the start of this year the government has engaged inconstructivetalks with theBMA, culminating in a comprehensivenewdeal for residentdoctorswhich was put to the BMARDCthis week.

This deal was built on extensive discussions with theleaders of the RDC, whoengaged in good faith.It is deeply regrettable that the committee refused their members the chance to have their own sayand vote on the deal.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said:

It is enormously disappointing for NHS patientsandstaff,thatthe BMA Resident Doctors' Committee haverejectedthisoffer.

This government has pulled every lever available lever to put forward a generous package - developed in tandem with the BMA - that would have transformed the working lives and career prospects of resident doctors.

I would like to thank the leaders of the BMA's RDC for the constructive approach they have shown to the intensive talks we have had since the turn of the year. I am only sorrythat this has not resulted in an agreement.The result is that resident doctors will be worse off.

My door is always open to NHS unions that want to work with the government to improve the conditions of NHS staff. The historic deal on the table demonstrates what can be achieved when we work together, rather than be trapped in a damaging cycle of industrial action.It is for that reason that I am not giving up just yet.I'vegone as far as I can and the government can afford, butit is not too late for the Committee to reconsider, and I urge them todo so.

My focus and that of leaders across the NHS will sadly now have to turn again towards protecting patients, staff and our NHS by minimisingdisruptionfrom more needless strikes.

Thedeal wouldhave included:

* Reform of the pay structure, so resident doctors wouldbenefit from more frequent and fairer pay rises at each stage of their training, as they reach key competencies and enhance productivity. * Combining pay structure reform with the DDRB uplift of 3.5%. * Pay rises over three years bakedin,linked to the independent DDRBrecommendations, as requested by the BMA. * Startingpay for new graduates entering the professionthis yearwould have beennearly £12,000 higher than four years ago. * Up to 4,500 more specialty training placeswould havebeencreated over thenext 3 years, including 1,000 for this year's applicants with the additional round of recruitment launching in April.  * Reimbursement ofcostly Royal College exam feesfrom Aprilthis year, which resident doctors currently must pay out of pocket to progress with their training, meaning resident doctorswould havebeenthousands of poundsbetter off. * Contract reform for locally employed doctors to ensure they also benefit from this new deal. 

If the BMA RDC continue toreject this offer, residentdoctors willstillreceive a 3.5% payaward this year -anotherabove inflationincrease, as recommended by the independent pay review body-but significantly less than what was on the table.The Medical Training Prioritisation Act is now lawand will be implemented as planned this year.

Thedeal would have unlocked 4,500 new specialty training places, going far beyond the government's commitment in the 10 Year Health Plan, and brought 1,000 of these posts to this year in a new recruitment round in April.

The windowto allow usto launch 1,000 postsin Aprilisshort.Once thisdeadline passes,giventhe prospect of potential further rounds of industrial action and itsdetrimentalimpact on NHS budgets,we will not be able tokeepthe offeron the table or make the same offer again.Systems will need to prepare for industrialaction andwill therefore not be able to afford delivering the 1,000additionalposts during a period of costly instability.

The government and the NHS will not again be financially or operationally able to offer as generous a deal aswas on the table this week.

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.