Steve Barclay says the junior doctors' union is taken a "militant stance" on negotiations over pay. The English Health Secretary says demands made by the British Medical Association (BMA) are unrealistic.
It comes as junior doctors across England are set to walk out for four days from Tuesday. The union wants its members to receive a 35% pay increase, which it says will make up for 15 years of below-inflation wage rises.
The union claims pay has led to a struggle in recruitment and retention. It said the industrial action could still be avoided if the Government makes a “credible offer”, but the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has insisted the strikes must be called off before any negotiations take place.
Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Barclay said: "Unfortunately, the decision by BMA junior doctors’ leaders to maintain an unrealistic position meant we were unable to make progress with talks. It seems they are intent on maintaining a militant stance rather than working with the Government and NHS management to meet the best interests of their members and of patients."
The minister however says he is committed to finding a solution to the strikes. He added: "I remain determined to find a fair and affordable offer that recognises the important work of junior doctors within the NHS while protecting the Government’s commitment to halve inflation – just as we have done with the trade unions representing other NHS staff including nurses and paramedics. We cannot, however, negotiate until the BMA confirms it is pausing next week’s strike and moving significantly from its position of 35%.
"Without this, I regrettably see no prospect of getting into serious and constructive talks. I urge the BMA to work constructively with us so we can find a rapid resolution to this dispute."
The BMA has previously said a "credible" offer on the table would stop strikes. The co-chairs of the BMA junior doctors’ committee, Dr Vivek Trivedi and Dr Rob Laurenson, said: “Even at this late stage we stand ready to consider any offer the minister tables – which, if credible, could mean the strike action being suspended – and we urge him to do so.
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“We say to him, ‘Put an offer on the table today, a credible one that truly demonstrates you are serious about addressing junior doctors losing more than 26% of their pay in real terms. An offer which can form the basis of negotiation and lead to the suspension of next week’s action’.
“It is not too late to avert four days of strike action, but the onus is on Mr Barclay to do more than write letters and talk about a desire to ‘rapidly’ end this dispute.”
