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Wage negotiations between young doctors falter within an hour as militant doctors refuse to negotiate

Wage talks between junior doctors and the government collapsed after less than an hour yesterday after militant medics refused to negotiate.

British Medical Association officials said Health Secretary Steve Barclay was unwilling to accept a pay rise of less than 35 per cent.

They also called for free parking, the abolition of exam fees and a guarantee that future wage increases will be indexed to inflation.

Whitehall sources described the red lines as “unreasonable” and “prohibitive” and said they showed the doctors “playing politics” and “looking for a fight” – not a negotiated solution.

Unions representing nurses, paramedics, midwives and physiotherapists were last week given an improved offer of a 5 per cent pay rise and a one-off bonus worth up to £3,789 after intensive talks.

They agreed to a confidentiality clause during the talks, but sources say the BMA has refused to honor even those conditions.

British Medical Association officials said Health Secretary Steve Barclay (pictured) was not prepared to accept less than a 35 per cent pay rise

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Young doctors on a picket line outside St Thomas' Hospital in central London

Young doctors on a picket line outside St Thomas’ Hospital in central London

Mr Barclay urged doctors to walk away and think about how they wanted to proceed, adding that there was no point in talking further until they were ready to back down.

The BMA last night refused to comment on the collapse of talks, raising fears of further industrial action.

More than 175,000 appointments and procedures were canceled last week as doctors staged a three-day strike, including in emergency rooms, maternity and cancer wards.

Around 28,700 doctors below the rank of consultant were absent from work every day because of industrial disputes, according to NHS England.

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, described the strike as “very disruptive to patient care” and called on the government and BMA to end the dispute.

Robert Laurenson, co-chairman of the BMA’s Young Doctors Committee, suggested doctors would not accept a similar offer for nurses and paramedics – dismissing it as “bad business for NHS staff”.

DR Vivek Trivedi, the other co-chairman, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program last week: ‘Our position has been that at all times we are open to talking in good faith and sensibly.

“We were ready to talk months ago. Our formal dispute began over 150 days ago and I say this precisely because it is disappointing that it has taken Steve Barclay so long to get to the negotiating table.

“I just hope he comes in good faith and has a negotiating mandate.”

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