§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the outcome of the BMA survey which asked if junior doctors were prepared to take some form of industrial action regarding the out-of-hours rates of pay and conditions of service; [88068]
(2) what discussions he is having with the BMA's Junior Doctors' Committee about improving the hourly rates paid to junior doctors for their work at night, weekends and bank holidays. [88067]
§ Mr. DenhamPay rates for junior doctors, including rates for out-of-hours work, are decided on the basis of recommendations by the independent Doctors' and Dentists' Pay Review Body (DDRB). Their 28' Report, published on 1 February 1999, concluded that
269Wthere was no need for changes to the existing working patterns of junior doctors and against that background the existing rates of additional duty hours remain appropriate".I held a positive and constructive meeting on 10 June with the representatives of the Junior Doctors' Committee on a number of issues relating to pay and conditions of service. We agreed that further meetings with officials would be held over the coming weeks.
I value the commitment of all junior doctors working in the National Health Service. However, the threat of industrial action following the recent survey is an appropriate response in the light of that commitment, which can serve only to jeopardise patient care if carried through and is inappropriate for professional staff whose pay is set on the basis of recommendations made by an independent Review Body. Industrial action could undermine the modern staffing initiatives we are seeking to introduce to improve the working lives of junior doctors: shorter working hours, better training opportunities, decent pay levels, higher standards of accommodation and catering facilities and new family friendly employment practices.
§ Sir Nicholas LyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list(a) the health authorities in which junior hospital doctors can be on call and working for periods of (i) 24 hours, (ii) 32 hours, (iii) 36 hours, (iv) 48 hours and (v) any longer continuous period and (b) those specialties or areas of hospital medicine in which such hours on call and working most frequently occur. [86707]
§ Mr. DenhamThe information is not available in the format requested.