We hope that today’s ruling will enable the health service to draw a line under the situation and now move towards effectively introducing the new contract for junior doctors.

Commenting on the outcome of today’s Judicial Review into the case put forward by Justice for Health, NHS Providers Chief Executive Chris Hopson said:

“This has been a very difficult time for junior doctors, NHS trusts and the patients who have been affected by the strikes. We hope that today’s ruling will enable the health service to draw a line under the situation and now move towards effectively introducing the new contract for junior doctors.

“Junior doctors have raised a number of legitimate concerns that still need to be addressed and NHS trusts will be working hard with their junior doctors to do so. In particular, those issues that are within the remit of the contract, for example the introduction of a new guardian role to each trust, need to be implemented consistently. As for suggestions that individual trusts have a choice as to whether to introduce the new contract or not, NHS trusts tell us that they believe a single national contract offers a consistent  approach that is in the best interests of patients and the wider NHS workforce. This is also the view of the NHS arms length bodies.

“Finally, we welcome the decision by the BMA to call off the forthcoming strikes.  It has been a difficult period but we now all need to look forward and work together to introduce the contract effectively and support junior doctors to address their wider concerns.”

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