Scottish junior doctors welcome Shona Robison pledge after contract forced by Jeremy Hunt in England

Junior doctors in Scotland have welcomed reassurances by Health secretary Shona Robison that the new contract being imposed on their English counterparts will not apply north of the border.

Junior doctors in England have been striking for the first time in 40 years after negotiation over a new contract broke down. Hours after the strike ended this morning UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced the new contract would be imposed.

The British Medical Association had refused a take it or leave it offer on Wednesday.

The Scottish Government will continue to use the existing contract.

Robison said: “Junior doctors are an extremely valued part of Scotland’s NHS and that is why we will continue to service the existing contract for junior doctors until such time that we feel it is right to move towards negotiations.

“BMA Scotland continue to be an important partner of ours and if we did decide to move towards a new contract, it would only ever be on the basis of an agreed and negotiated settlement.”

Dr Chris Sheridan, Chair of the BMA’s Scottish Junior Doctor Committee, said:  “It is hugely disappointing that an agreement has not been reached in England.

“However, I very much welcome the Cabinet Secretary’s statement that Scotland will not impose any contract on junior doctors working north of the border. This will be very reassuring to my colleagues here in Scotland.”