How junior doctors reached the brink of fresh strikes

2002—Current contract introduced

The current contract is introduced with the intention of reducing junior doctors’ hours and enforcing minimum breaks and working conditions.

2009—Contract review

The Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) encourages the four UK health departments to commission a review of junior doctors’ hours and pay.

2011—NHS Employers report

A scoping report on the junior doctor contract concludes that the current contract is unfit for purpose and should be renegotiated.

2012—Renegotiation decision

The government publishes the 2011 report by NHS Employers and accepts its recommendation that the junior doctor contract should be renegotiated.

2013—Talks begin

In June the BMA and NHS Employers agree “head of terms” for discussions over the junior doctor contract.

In October the two organisations start to discuss the terms of the new contract for UK junior doctors.

2014—Talks break down

In October the BMA announces that negotiations with the government have stalled. The next month the government asks the DDRB to review the contract proposals.

July 2015—DDRB report

A DDRB report endorses the case for contractual change. After the report’s publication the government says it wants a new contract for junior doctors to be introduced in August 2016.

August—BMA rejects fresh talks

The BMA’s Junior Doctors Committee votes not to re-enter negotiations with NHS Employers on a new contract. The BMA says the move came after the government insisted that the BMA accept all of the DDRB’s recommendations without question by mid-September.

September—Imposition and ballot

The Department of Health for England says that it will impose a new contract for junior doctors in England in August 2016. The BMA announces plans to ballot junior doctors in England over potential industrial action.

November—Junior doctors vote to reject

Nearly all (98%) of junior doctors responding to the ballot vote in favour of taking strike action over changes to their contract.

December—Strikes suspended

The BMA temporarily suspends industrial action and agrees to enter talks with the government, facilitated by Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service).

4th January 2016—Talks break down

The talks between the BMA and the government break down, and the BMA announces that industrial action will take place in January and February.

12th January—First round of action

The first day of industrial action takes place, with junior doctors providing only emergency cover for 24 hours.

19th January—Further action suspended

The BMA suspends the 48 hour period of industrial action that was set to begin on Tuesday 26 January as talks facilitated by Acas continue.

1st February—Talks fail

The BMA announces that junior doctors in England will take a second day of action after contract talks fail to reach an agreement on the issue of unsocial hours.

10th February—Second round of action

Junior doctors take a second day of industrial action and provide emergency care only until 8 am on 11 February.

11th February—Imposition announced

The government says that a breakdown of talks means that a negotiated agreement is unlikely and that it will impose a new contract.

9th March—Third round of action

Junior doctors provide emergency care only from 8 am on Wednesday 9 March to 8 am on Friday 11 March.

6th April—Fourth round of action

The fourth round of industrial action takes place on 6-8 April, with junior doctors offering emergency care only.

26th April—Fifth round of action

Junior doctors withdraw their labour from 8 am to 5 pm on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 April.

7th May—Talks restart

The BMA says that it will re-enter talks with the government after the government announces that it will pause the introduction of a new contract for five days.

18th May—Agreement reached

Acas announces that an agreement on a new contract has been reached and that it will be submitted to BMA members for a vote.

5th July—Contract again rejected

In a referendum 58% of junior doctors vote to reject the proposed new contract.

6th July—Imposition to go ahead

The government says that there will be a phased introduction of the junior doctor contract that was agreed with the BMA in May.

12th August—Junior doctors call for further strikes from September

The Junior Doctors Committee calls for escalated industrial action, saying that the government has not dealt with its concerns over aspects of the proposed contract.