The government has rebuffed an attempt by leading medics to broker a truce in the junior doctors’ dispute, as the British Medical Association prepares to decide on further strikes.
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, backed by the General Medical Council, wanted gestures from both sides to create a path back to talks.
Professor Dame Sue Bailey, president of the academy, proposed a five-day pause in preparations to impose the contract and the BMA making no further threats during the same period.
Last night the government said it would do nothing to delay introduction of a new contract in the summer.
The BMA junior doctors’ committee will meet this weekend with an indefinite strike and resignations on the table.
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Rob Webster, chief executive of the NHS Confederation of health service bosses, said: “Both sides should give serious consideration to an approach that would find support from across managerial and clinical leaders.”
Johann Malawana, head of the BMA junior doctors’ committee, reiterated a promise to start talks if the government halted contract imposition.