HCSA President Dr Claudia Paoloni (pictured, © Jess Hurd) has called on the new health secretary to recognise “our profession’s immense contribution to our health service” and act on hospital pressures, doctors’ pay and training, terms and conditions.
Writing to Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper, Dr Paoloni set out the top priorities for the hospital doctors’ union, ranging from ending industrial action through a long-term plan on pay to ridding the NHS of the disastrous “normalisation” of corridor care.
“Clearly, there is still much work to do to deliver on doctors’ pay which we so desperately need to end industrial unrest within the medical landscape and stabilise workforces,” she wrote.
“Resident doctors in England have accepted a pay deal but remain concerned about its implementation, discontent remains among consultants which has led to the prospect of further industrial action, and significant issues impacting specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors remain unresolved.”
The HCSA president also relayed the union’s concern over continued career bottlenecks even if the recent resident doctor deal delivers on training places, warning that the situation “may now worsen higher up the career ladder as residents complete their training and seek posts as consultant or SAS doctors.”
Dr Paoloni added that without action the NHS will continue to face a retention crisis, with improvements to wellbeing also key: “A professional culture built upon dignity, respect and psychological safety is fundamental both to workforce retention and to high-quality patient care.”
Offering to meet to underline the issues affecting hospital doctors and their patients, the president wrote: “The NHS and HCSA members face a number of pressing challenges. However, we are ready to work with you constructively to address the issues affecting hospital doctors and the health service.”
