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Press release: Joint letter from NHS Employers and the BMA to Hospital Doctor on SAS negotiations24 Feb 2006 Dear Sir The BMA and NHS Employers refute claims that negotiations on the new Staff and Associate Specialist (SAS) contract are on the brink of collapse (Hospital Doctor p1, 23/02/06). We are surprised and disappointed by these claims. The BMA and NHS Employers are meeting on a regular basis, have found a lot of common ground and remain committed to reaching an agreement. Neither party has any intention of walking away from the negotiating table. The aims of the negotiations remain the same -a better deal and more recognition for SAS doctors, and improved services for patients. As with any negotiations there have been difficulties, but, negotiations have made progress and we have found many areas of broad agreement. Both parties initially agreed an implementation date of April 2006. However, the talks are taking longer than either party had hoped because of the complexity of some of the issues. Further work is needed and we are committed to meeting on a regular basis to reach an agreement that is good for both doctors and patients as soon as we can. Yours sincerely
Ms Heather Lawrence Notes for editorsNHS Employers represents English trusts but its team includes representatives from Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. NHS Employers has been given a mandate by the Department of Health to negotiate a new contract for staff grade and associate specialist doctors in conjunction with the British Medical Association. It will ensure that all four UK countries work very closely together on negotiations and improvement in employment practices and where possible will aim to develop UK-wide agreements. The financial package for the new SAS contract in England is £50 million for 2006-2007 Contact detailsThe press office provides a comprehensive service to keep journalists informed about the work of NHS Employers. If you have a media enquiry, please contact the press office team:
For out of hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 07880 500726. Last reviewed 10 Mar 2006 |
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