Doctors accuse government of acting ‘in bad faith’ over NHS pay talks

Doctors have accused the government of acting in “bad faith” during pay negotiations after the health secretary claimed medics had walked away from talks.

Steve Barclay said in a television interview on Sunday morning that the parties were “in the middle of discussing” issues and that “it was the junior doctors suddenly who walked away”.

But the British Medical Association (BMA) said it was still willing to continue negotiations and that it was the government who cancelled the remaining meetings.

Health secretary Mr Barclay told the Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme on Sky News that doctors had “refused to move”. But he appeared to confirm that ministers were refusing talks while industrial action was on the table.

Full article in The Independent, 2 July 2023