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| Emergency care will still be available during junior doctors' strike, BMA says | Emergency care will still be available during junior doctors' strike, BMA says |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The British Medical Association has sought to clarify that people in need of emergency medical care will be treated during this week’s strike. | The British Medical Association has sought to clarify that people in need of emergency medical care will be treated during this week’s strike. |
| Junior doctors will walk between 8am and 5pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Unlike during previous strikes, they will not provide emergency care. | Junior doctors will walk between 8am and 5pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Unlike during previous strikes, they will not provide emergency care. |
| Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said the stoppage was “extreme” and could put patient safety at risk, but BMA chair Dr Mark Porter said senior doctors would still be providing emergency cover. | Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said the stoppage was “extreme” and could put patient safety at risk, but BMA chair Dr Mark Porter said senior doctors would still be providing emergency cover. |
| “It is not true that emergency care is being withdrawn on Tuesday and Wednesday. It is true that junior doctors won’t be providing it but hospitals will be full of senior doctors, such as my colleagues, who will be providing it,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. | “It is not true that emergency care is being withdrawn on Tuesday and Wednesday. It is true that junior doctors won’t be providing it but hospitals will be full of senior doctors, such as my colleagues, who will be providing it,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. |
| “It’s important for the people of this country to understand that this does not mean that that cover will not be provided, it means that senior doctors will be providing that cover.” | “It’s important for the people of this country to understand that this does not mean that that cover will not be provided, it means that senior doctors will be providing that cover.” |
| Consultants and specialists have been moved off longer-term elective duties and are being re-rostered to provide A&E cover as part of contingency planning. | Consultants and specialists have been moved off longer-term elective duties and are being re-rostered to provide A&E cover as part of contingency planning. |
| Dr Porter also said the BMA was happy to return to negotiations if Mr Hunt lifted the threat of unilaterally imposing the a new contract on doctors. | Dr Porter also said the BMA was happy to return to negotiations if Mr Hunt lifted the threat of unilaterally imposing the a new contract on doctors. |
| The Government has refused to lift its threat, however – and accused doctors of a “political” strike to bring down the Government. | The Government has refused to lift its threat, however – and accused doctors of a “political” strike to bring down the Government. |
| “We haven’t refused to talk, we’ve continually requested talks,” Dr Porter said. | |
| “We have said repeatedly and always that we will call off the strike if the Government will call off the imposition. By contrast the Government has said there is nothing that will get it to call off the imposition. | “We have said repeatedly and always that we will call off the strike if the Government will call off the imposition. By contrast the Government has said there is nothing that will get it to call off the imposition. |
| “There’s a lot of discussion amongst junior doctors and no decisions have yet been taken, which means they’re all possible but that doesn’t mean they’re either likely or going to happen.” | “There’s a lot of discussion amongst junior doctors and no decisions have yet been taken, which means they’re all possible but that doesn’t mean they’re either likely or going to happen.” |
| Junior doctors say the new contract will incentivise unsafe shift patterns and put patient safety at risk, while the Government says it will help improve medical care at weekends. | Junior doctors say the new contract will incentivise unsafe shift patterns and put patient safety at risk, while the Government says it will help improve medical care at weekends. |