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How junior doctors reached the brink of fresh strikes

BMJ 2016; 354 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i4504 (Published 17 August 2016) Cite this as: BMJ 2016;354:i4504
  1. Abi Rimmer
  1. BMJ Careers

Last week the BMA Junior Doctors Committee asked the BMA Council to authorise a rolling programme of industrial action by junior doctors in England.1Abi Rimmer chronicles how junior doctors got to this point

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 …

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