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JEREMY HUNT’S “computer says no” attitude dragged out the junior doctors dispute for three months longer than necessary, Labour said yesterday.
The Health Secretary played the bridge builder in a statement to MPs about the deal struck between the government and doctors’ union the British Medical Association after a week of intensive talks.
But shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander said he could have reached the deal in February if he had not behaved like belligerent receptionist Carol Beer from off-the-wall TV comedy Little Britain.
“Today I say to all junior doctors: Whatever our disagreements about the contract may have been, the government have heard and understood the wider frustrations that you feel about the way you’re valued and treated in the NHS,” Mr Hunt said in a softly spoken appeal to medics.
Ms Alexander said she was “pleased and relieved” the deal had been reached, but added: “I am sad that it took an all-out strike of junior doctors to get the government back to the table.
“This agreement shows a negotiated agreement was possible all along. So I have to ask the Health Secretary: Why couldn’t this deal have been struck in February?”
The deal, brokered by former TUC leader Brendan Barber at conciliation service Acas, will now be put to a ballot of more than 40,000 junior doctors.
BMA leaders are urging members to vote for the compromise, but have conceded they face an “uphill struggle” to sell a contract which includes a reduction in weekend and night-shift pay rates.
