Junior doctors’ strike: NHS chief thanks staff who defied BMA
The head of the NHS has thanked junior doctors who defied the British Medical Association (BMA) and returned to work during strikes last week.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, made the comments after a row between health service bosses and the union about arrangements to exempt some doctors from strikes on patient safety grounds.
Of 40 requests for junior doctors to return from picket lines, the union has granted just two, the health secretary revealed on Monday.
Victoria Atkins said she would sit down with junior doctors’ leaders “if they come to the negotiating table with reasonable expectations” but insisted their headline 35 per cent pay demand was unaffordable.
The union says that is the amount needed to restore pay to the equivalent
