[nomadking]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Yeah but



The way I understand it the safeguards are being watered down and the mechanisms all but removed

Has anybody, especially the junior doctors actually read the new contract?

• Maximum average 48 hour working week (reduced from 56) with hours for doctors who opt out of the WTR capped at maximum average of 56 working hours per week.
• Maximum 72 hours’ work in any seven day period (reduced from 91).
• Maximum shift length of 13 hours (reduced from 14 hours).
• Maximum of five consecutive long (>10 hours) shifts (reduced from seven) with minimum 48 hours rest after a run of five consecutive long shifts (up from 11 hours rest).
• Maximum of four consecutive night shifts (reduced from seven) with minimum 48 hours rest after a run of either three or four consecutive night shifts (up from 11 hours rest).
• Maximum of four consecutive long, late evening shifts (>10 hours finishing after 11pm) with minimum 48 hours rest after four consecutive long, late evening shifts (up from 11 hours rest).
• No doctor should be rostered to work consecutive weekends without written agreement and even with that agreement, no more frequently than one weekend in two.
• Maximum eight consecutive shifts with 48 hours’ rest after eight consecutive shifts (reduced from 12 consecutive shifts).
• No more than three rostered on-calls in seven days except by agreement, with guaranteed rest arrangements where overnight rest is disturbed.

If your rota does not meet these rules, which were all agreed following negotiations with the BMA, it will need to be changed to comply with them.

5. How can doctors be protected from excess hours if there will no longer be a financial penalty for employers?
The system of exception reporting outlined in the 2016 contract will ensure that departures from planned working hours, working pattern or access to planned training opportunities are recorded. Work schedule reviews will take place where this happens consistently and can be requested by the employer or the doctor.
The role of the independent guardian of safe working is an important innovation designed to reassure junior doctors and employers that rotas and working conditions are safe for doctors and patients. The guardian role is likely to be undertaken by an existing member of staff appointed jointly with junior doctors and in line with a national person specification.
The guardian will oversee the work schedule review process and address concerns relating to hours worked and access to training opportunities. They will support safe care for patients through protection and prevention measures to stop doctors working excessive hours and have the power to invoke a new system of financial penalties to be applied where doctors are found to be working excessive hours.

The workloads are being reduced, work patterns eased and a new mechanism put in place. Hardly dismantling anything, is it?

---------- Post added at 08:54 ---------- Previous post was at 08:50 ----------

Originally Posted by Mr K

There's one side refusing to talk any longer, one side refusing compromise solution proposed by cross party MPs, one side spoiling for a fight, one side who have a bigger plan to run down the NHS so they can implement their privatisation masterplan. It's not the Doctor's that are being 'intransigent'.

It is effectively already being piloted as it is being implemented in stages.

only 11% of junior docs go on to new contracts in August. We’re staging implementation to ensure it works as intended. Any further delay just means we will take longer to eliminate weekend effect.”
...
“The intention has always been to introduce the new contract in phases, and as I understand it, fewer than 20% of doctors will have the new contract in August, so that’s always been part of the plan.