The U.K. Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) is urging the U.K. Department of Health and junior doctors in England to keep patients in mind and step back from the brink in their ongoing dispute.
For the benefit of patients, the Department of Health should delay imposition of the new contract, and the British Medical Association (BMA) should defer industrial action, allowing remaining differences to be settled through constructive negotiation, according to the RCR.
Recognizing the severe stress caused to its junior doctor members over the course of the increasingly bitter dispute, the RCR said in a statement that it's also strongly encouraging its training schemes and personnel to support trainees in every possible way. In addition, the RCR said that it has been made aware of factors in the new contract that will specifically disadvantage radiology trainees and will make it harder in the future for trainees with experience in other specialties to enter radiology training.
The RCR also called for a truly independent review that will consider all of the factors leading to the current low morale of junior doctors.
"The RCR remains ready to participate in such a review, but only when our members who are trainees have confidence in the structure, timing, and remit of such an exercise," the college wrote.
