Press release: Response to BMA attack on consultant contract negotiations
19 Feb 2001
Responding to today's press statement from the BMA on consultant's contract negotiations (1), Stephen Thornton, chief executive of the NHS Confederation which represents employers in the negotiations said, "this is an ill-timed and intemperate attack on the department of health and ourselves which is not warranted. Shortly before government publishes its proposals is not the time for damaging megaphone diplomacy. This probably has more to do with internal BMA politics than any substantive attack on the position adopted by the management side."
However, the Confederation did acknowledge that discussions between the BMA and the government had become protracted and needed resolving quickly. "If we are to implement the government's Plan for the NHS then we must have a modernised and up-to-date contract for consultants."
"The new contract must enable NHS management to properly manage its staff, including doctors. Recent scandals and reports of failing clinical quality have made this imperative. The public now expects doctors to be much more accountable than was the case when the existing contract was first negotiated. We call upon the BMA to rejoin the discussions so that we can reach a conclusion that will have the confidence of patients".
Ends
Notes for editors
The NHS Confederation is uniquely placed to be the voice of NHS management, as the only membership body for all NHS organisations. Our members include more than 95% of NHS trusts and health authorities in England and Wales; primary care groups; health boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland. The new English primary care trusts have joined.
(1) The consultant contract negotiations involve the BMA, the Department of Health and the NHS Confederation.
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