The National Health Service (NHS) Dispute
Introduction
Over the last few years the Government and the NHS's Junior Doctors' have been involved in negotiations over an introduction of new contracts for Junior Doctors and Consultants. These negotiations have been going on and off for long enough it has a lot of people wondering whether there are other underlying reasons for the government's need for contract changes, as well as reasons why the BMA is fighting so hard.
This report will examine and criticise three sources discussing the NHS dispute in relation to employment relations. Looking at the different opinions presented in the articles, from the BMA, The Health Secretary Jeremey Hunt and an article in the Guardian titled `The Observer
…show more content…
I will also look at the government's point of view; examine the reasons for enforcing the new contracts, why now?
The Guardian, as well as many other news agents have speculated on these issues for years however a recent article in the guardian provides a look into the situation that coincides with what the public think about it. This dispute has not only become stressful for the doctors who to date anticipate further delays in negotiations due to unsatisfactory condition being placed on the contracts, but also the public whose health and safety depends on doctors being satisfied in their jobs, something that is highly at risk due to these delays in negotiations.
The recent NHS dispute started when the government came up with a plan to change the contracts for junior doctors’ and consultants in 2013. Junior doctors’ leaders protested this change which the government insists is necessary describing the current contracts as possibly being obsolete. The government finds these arrangements “unfair” arguing that the contracts were introduced in the 1990s. (Triggle, 2016).
The
…show more content…
The Department of Health ensures healthcare organisations such as the National Health Service (NHS) in England are able to provide the nation with all the care, treatment and support they require to live comfortably. The government’s aim to modernise the junior doctors’ contract helps them in ensuring British healthcare remains at its best. The negotiations between the Department of Health, NHS Employers and the BMA are way of ensuring healthcare in England evolves guaranteeing the safety of both doctors and patients.
An article on the www.Gov.uk page containing the Department of Health’s publication of a firm contract offer in November 2015 outlined some of the of the Government’s commitment to ensuring these negotiations have an outcome that will benefit both sides. The contract outlines how it is fairer and safer for doctors and patients, as well as supports the government’s guarantees on working hours, pay and patient
described as the worst care that the NHS has seen for many years, and became an issue of public concern when it was
Can we really trust the NHS after the recent junior doctor strike? Dr Ethan Copeland explains.
I want to talk for a few minutes with you about the future of NHS- what it means for you, the 200 awesome members who have contributed thousands of hours of community service in the last 30 weeks alone, changes I hope to see next year, and how I believe I’m the right person to bring about these changes. You may know me from the emails or tweets I send out to let you know about what’s happening in NHS, as this year I served as our Communications Secretary. During my time in this office, I got to know how each leader- the President, Vice-President, Tutoring Liaisons, Recording Secretaries- how they fit in and what they did to keep NHS running. Between watching what they each did and being in student council, I learned a lot about what it means
Throughout the article, Marsden addresses doctors and describes the differences in the medical structure of the US and Uk by comparing how care is distributed and the economic aspect. In order to contrast the medial structures, she uses the differences in the economies to separate the systems even more. In the US hundreds of Americans are uninsured which means a routine checkup can become very expensive for out of pocket payers, however in the Uk insurance is not needed. While the Us is more expensive, the Uk provides service to all their citizens, however, because their care is open to everyone there is more waiting involved in the UK services. If you were to get injured in the Uk for example, first they need to decide the right treatment then, depending on the severity of your case, you would wait in line behind others who also need medical treatment. By going into specific detail she addresses doctors who are interested in the Uk service and highlights important differences in the economy that affects doctors. The US would pay doctors a greater amount, however, if you were to own a private practice in the UK you could make more. As she describes the difference school she pulls towards the doctors so they can understand how different their economy and healthcare work in the UK. By drawing the attention of doctors and their economic value
"Our absolute priority is patient safety and making sure that the NHS delivers high-quality care 7 days a week and we know that's what doctors want too, so it is extremely disappointing that the BMA have chosen to take industrial action which helps no-one. We had made good progress in talks, resolving 15 of the 16 issues put forward by the union everything apart from weekend pay. We have now asked ACAS to reconvene talks in the hope the BMA will return to sensible
After the serious shortcomings within the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust came to light, The Francis Report (Francis, 2013) investigated how the conditions of inexcusable care could prevail within the trust. The Francis Report proposed several extensive changes that could improve the National Health Service (NHS). Garner (2014) informs that these changes include that leaders need to be effective and accountable, staff should be empowered to work in partnership, each trust should aim to improve innovation and quality, whilst putting the patient first. The Department of Health (DH) reflected on the findings and in response to The Francis
The Health and Social Care Act 2012 came into force with crucial principles including new structures and arrangements in health care services to safeguard and strengthen the future of NHS and maintain the modernisation plan. In this Act, many new changes has been made to a number of existing Acts, National Health Services Act (NHS 2006), in order to enable health care system to tackle the existing challenges and also avoid any potential crisis in future. It has also introduced the proper allocation of NHS fund and budget, and improved the integrated care between NHS and social care services to promote patients’ choice in terms of delivering quality care.
The rate of economic and political change in recent decades has been dramatic. The Anglo-Saxon emphasis on neo-liberal economic ideology has drifted East, with the (Brown, 2000) ‘rise of China’ and other emerging economies. The trend in recent decades has focussed on the need to privatise great swathes of the economy and to reduce trade barriers, leading to less protectionism. This emphasis on private sector control became apparent in the 1980’s with (Hutchinson, 2008) ‘Thatcherism’ and ‘Reaganism’ seeking to reform the post-War consensus. The dramatic changes in America and the United Kingdom were not restricted to those economies however. The European
In 2000, an effort was made by the UK government to resolve certain inequalities that had developed within the NHS by releasing the “NHS Plan of 2000.” This plan greatly increased spending on employee pay, infrastructure, and access to services. Despite almost doubling spending in a ten year period,
The National health services (NHS) provides a comprehensive healthcare services across the entire nation. It is considered to be UK’s proudest institution, and is envied by many other countries because of its free of cost health delivery to its population. Nevertheless, it is often seen as a ‘political football’ as it affects all of us in some way and hence everyone carry an opinion about it (Cass, 2006). Factors such as government policies, funding, number of service users, taxation etc all make up small parts of this large complex organisation. Therefore, any imbalances within one sector can pose a substantial risk on the overall NHS (Wheeler & Grice, 2000). This essay will discuss whether the NHS aim of reducing the nations need
This report will explore how external environmental changes in the market can impact (NHS) the National Health Service in the uk for the next five years.
In recent months, our media has been saturated with the controversial topic of junior doctors taking strike action. I personally think that junior doctors are being selfish in this case. For 24 hours, many hospitals will only be able to provide emergency care; thousands of operations and appointments will be cancelled. The doctors will be on the first of three planned strikes after talks between the government and the doctors’ trade union, the British Medical Association (BMA), broke down this week. They are protesting against government proposals to introduce a new contract. The plans would see doctors receive a rise in their basic rate of pay, but make demands including a requirement to work more, and for lower rates of pay, in the evenings
Frontline employee’s are best placed to understand the needs of patients, and have the skills and knowledge to develop innovative services to meet those needs. We need to devolve power in the NHS so that frontline staff has a greater say in how services are delivered and resources are allocated. Each of the health care professionals holds a level of power according to their profession.
Seven days a week. More unsociable working hours. Extra premiums on weekends will be lowered. These are the main reasons why junior doctors are striking. This is only a handful of the drastic changes that the Secretary of Health, Jeremy Hunt has imposed since being appointed in 2012. It is very transparent as to why junior doctors choose to strike however there are drawbacks to doctors striking. This project will help to uncover how this new working contract is affecting junior doctors to an extent where they feel as though striking is appropriate. There will be an evaluation of whether the striking is worth taking part in and whether it is a dangerous to strike on working days. Finally, a conclusion will be draw alongside a solution for both parties: the Government and junior doctors.
In the United Kingdom, the concept of clinical governance was first published in the document “The New NHS: Modern, Dependable” (Department of Health, 1997).From the beginning until today, there are multiple different approaches and variety of definitions related to clinical governance. This report seeks to critically evaluate some of the principles and patterns regarding to clinical governance.