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The Doctors’ Association UK would first and foremost like to thank the British Medical Association and the negotiating team for their hard work this year.
However, DAUK notes with concern the outcome the BMA’s referendum of its junior members on the revised 2016 terms & conditions of employment for junior doctors in England.
DAUK have now reviewed the Framework Agreement detailing the agreed changes to the 2016 Junior Doctor Contract following the 2019 negotiations between the BMA and the government. Whilst there are several positive changes junior doctors would welcome, we do not believe the overall proposed revision to the rejected 2016 terms and conditions are worthy of our hard working junior doctor members. Therefore, on balance the DAUK committee feel that we cannot endorse this contract.
Last week, Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden Chair of The Doctors’ Association UK interviewed Charlie Massey as part of a documentary on why doctors are leaving the NHS. The episode was presented by Sammy on BBC Radio 4.
For the first time Charlie Massey publicly stated that his decision to appeal the fitness to practice (MPTS) verdict, and pursue Dr Bawa-Garba in the High Court was wrong.
The GMC's chief executive has admitted the legal advice the regulator received during the Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba case was wrong and if the same case were to take place now he would not try to have a doctor barred from practice.
Charlie Massey said he 'completely accepts' the legal advice he was given to pursue the striking off of Dr Bawa-Garba - who was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of a six-year-old patient - was 'not correct'.
Our Chair Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden shares her view in the BMJ after interviewing Charlie Massey (chief executive GMC) for a documentary Sammy presented on BBC Radio 4. In this interview Charlie Massy admits for the first time that his decision to take Dr Bawa-Garba to the Hight Court to have her struck off was incorrect.
The General Medical Council (GMC) has just published the 29 final recommendations of the long-awaited reviewinto how gross negligence manslaughter and culpable homicide are applied to medical practice. This was an independent review chaired by consultant cardiac surgeon, Leslie Hamilton, and undertaken after widespread criticism of the GMC’s handling of the case of Hadiza Bawa-Garba. The Doctor’s Association UK, among many other organisations, has been calling for a truly “Just Culture” to be adopted by the NHS for staff and patients alike as part of its Learn Not Blame campaign, and broadly welcomes the report.
Jeremy Hunt last week told the Sunday Times that he was best placed to negotiate a Brexit deal as he "out-negotiated what is widely thought to be the toughest union in the country when running the NHS."
DAUK feel that whilst others may fear to set the record straight it is important for people to know the truth. The reply from our Chair, Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden is the lead letter in today's Sunday Times. It reads:
His comments will come as a surprise to doctors who will remember that Mr Hunt had to resort to imposing the junior doctor contract upon them; this after a spectacular failure to negotiate and following a bitter and long-running dispute.
This unprecedented and cowardly move is widely credited for alienating the entire NHS workforce and the general public, who are now suffering the repercussions of widespread staff shortages as a result.
It is therefore astounding such an unmitigated disaster should be used by Mr Hunt as evidence of his ability to deliver Brexit. One wonders how such a combative approach will be viewed by the European Commission.
The letter can be found in The Sunday Times
