Conditions for Junior Doctors

Friday 6th October 2000 - Health Minister John Denham announced new action designed to improve standards of catering and accommodation for junior doctors in England - and tackle the problem of long working hours. NHS trusts will have to meet targets on hours worked, catering and accommodation monitored by new inspection teams located in each of the 8 Department of Health Regional Offices. Trusts that do not meet these targets could be prevented from taking on new junior doctors. At present an amazing 95% of junior doctors in some NHS Trusts work more than 56 hours a week - but the target is met fully in other Trusts.

An agreement on better pay and conditions for junior doctors was reached between the Government and the BMA Junior Doctors Committee in May 2000. The new contract will be implemented in December 2000 and will:

- Introduce a maximum average working week of 56 hours for each junior doctor in his or her contract.

- Provide significant increases in pay for those working the longest hours in the most intensive posts.

- Replace current system of payments with a simpler and better-targeted framework. This should be cheaper to administer and should also provide higher pay for junior doctors in the most hard-pressed jobs and those working the most unsocial hours.

According to John Denham: "This Government has successfully negotiated a new package for junior doctors hours. In May this year, the profession agreed to a new contract, worth over £150m over the next three years, which specifies a maximum 56 hour working week for all junior doctors. It is now up to Trusts across the country to meet their end of the deal.

"One in three junior doctors is still working over 56 hours a week. This is unacceptable, and in contravention with the agreed targets of the new deal. We will be writing to all regional directors highlighting levels of compliance for all trusts in their region, including those who are substantially failing their targets, asking them to tackle the situation immediately.

"I am asking Regional Directors to compare their performance with that of other regions - and to consider the performance of trusts of similar size and nature of activity in their region. Many Trusts across the country have worked hard to meet these tough targets - and are delivering better working hours and conditions for junior doctors. These Trusts are to be congratulated, and their experience used to help failing trusts improve their performance."

Recent Government measures to support employers in achieving the 56-hour target and generally improving standards have included:

* Employment of more doctors, more nurses and more support staff.

* Removing inappropriate jobs from junior doctors - such as form filling, portering and clerking.

* Ensuring better accommodation and catering.

* Reorganising services - ensuring the right staff, support and equipment are available in the right place at the right time.

John Denham explained that: "The NHS Plan is a blueprint for the future of the service, tackling unacceptable failures in the system. It provides a unique opportunity to spread the successes in the system, and root out poor performance - providing a real incentive for Trusts to provide junior doctors with a working environment fit for a service of the future.

"We are investing more doctors for the NHS. But we must be sure that their working conditions are up to high standards and that once and for all we tackle the culture of long working hours for junior doctors."

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