Junior docs’ chief plunges NHS into chaos as she brands contract ‘catastrophic’ months after calling it safe
Dr Ellen McCourt will plunge NHS into crisis by leading 55,000 trainee doctors in walkouts, over a contract she previoulsy praised
THE leader of Britain’s junior doctors was last night branded a hypocrite for going on strike over a contract she previously championed.
Dr Ellen McCourt, 32, was part of the negotiating team that reached a deal between the British Medical Association and the Government in May.
She praised the deal at the time, saying it was safe and fair, values our junior doctors appropriately and will reduce the problem of recruitment and retention.
But Dr McCourt, chair of the BMA’s junior doctors’ committee, will now lead 55,000 trainee medics in walkouts around the country over 20 days.
This week she branded the contract catastrophic and said the Government had left her union members no choice but to start new industrial action.
In a statement, she said: “If we start losing parts of the medical workforce because their time is not valued, because our specialities are struggling . . . if those specialities are places that nobody wants to work in, that is dangerous for our patients.”
Why are junior doctors striking?
JUNIOR doctors have announced five days of strike action ahead of a controversial new contract due to come into effect in October.
To understand the dispute and learn what each side wants take a look over our full guide or the summary here.
What is this dispute all about?
The Government wants to introduce a new contract for junior doctors working up to consultant level to replace one it says is outdated.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants to cut the number of hours for which junior doctors can claim extra pay on weekends.
What are the terms of the new deal?
Under the agreement junior doctors will receive "premium pay" on Saturdays and Sundays.
They will receive a percentage of their annual salary for working these weekends - ranging from 3% for working one weekend in seven, to up to 10% if they work one weekend in two.
If a deal was reached then what on earth is going on?
After the BMA reached an agreement with the Government they put the deal to a ballot of junior doctors and final and penultimate year medical students.
There was a 68% turnout with 42% voting in favour of the contract and 58% voting against.
After the vote Johann Malawana, who Mr Hunt said had seen the contract as a good deal, stepped down as head of the junior doctors committee.
He was replaced by Dr Ellen McCourt.
What's this discussion about death rates about?
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has angered junior doctors with repeated references to higher death rates for patients in NHS hospitals at weekends.
Doctors accuse Mr Hunt of conflating the arguments by saying that unless contracts are reformed immediately patients will continue to die.
Important dates
Junior doctors will now go on strike from September 12 to September 16.
They also plan to strike on the 5,6,7, 10 and 11th of October.
Further action is pencilled in for November 14 to November 18 and December 5 to December 9.
A Whitehall source said: “It’s staggering to hear the junior doctors’ chief praising this contract one month and urging doctors to withdraw life-saving care over it the next.”
A source close to the negotiations said of McCourt: “Every bit of the new contract she signed off.
“To then turn around and say we need to deprive patients of live-saving care is astonishing hypocrisy.
“So many of the things the BMA asked for, the Government gave to them.”
related stories
A reason given by junior doctors for strikes was that the Government failed to make it clear how it plans to expand seven-day services.
But yesterday Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, claimed the BMA was presented with this information during talks at conciliation service Acas.
The doctors’ union boss who refused to say if members unanimously backed the junior medics has previously signalled his opposition to strikes.
Dr Mark Porter, chairman of the BMA’s general council, has in the past said junior doctors should “take soundings” and think hard before going too far.
He said: “Every now and again it’s important to take a step back and look at things in a less immediately reactive way.”
This week he tried to dispel reports of a split in the ranks.
He stressed: “The point is the decision that we took at the end of it.”