Government has ‘lost the confidence’ of NHS staff striking over pay, says Labour

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said the ‘worst strikes in the history of the NHS were still to come’.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the Government was ‘willing to work constructively with trade union colleagues’ (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (PA Wire)

Health Secretary Steve Barclay “can’t even successfully negotiate with his own Chancellor” Labour has claimed, warning the Government has “lost the confidence” of NHS staff striking over pay.

Wes Streeting cautioned that the “worst strikes in the history of the NHS are still to come”, as the shadow health secretary asked in the Commons “what is the Health Secretary’s plan now to stop these strikes from going ahead?”

Mr Barclay hit back, saying ministers were “willing to work constructively with trade union colleagues” but added that “a 35% demand from the junior doctors is not one that is affordable and it is indeed one that he himself (Mr Streeting) has said he does not support”.

He also called on Mr Streeting to decide “his position” on NHS pay.

Junior doctors in England are planning to stage the largest walkout in the NHS’s history from July 13 to 18. And consultants – the most senior doctors in the NHS – are planning to stage industrial action from July 20 to 21, when they will only provide scaled-back “Christmas Day cover”. Radiographers will then strike at 43 NHS trusts between 8am on July 25 and 8am on July 27.

Raising the impending round of strikes during Commons health and social care questions, Mr Streeting claimed the Health Secretary and Chancellor were split on the issue of NHS pay.

(The Health Secretary's) lost the confidence of nurses, he lost the confidence of radiologists, the junior doctors and consultants and he can't even successfully negotiate with his own Chancellor

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting

He said: “Last week, the Health Secretary said he is willing to offer doctors a higher pay rise. Last night, the Chancellor slapped him down saying any increased offer will have to be paid for by cuts. How can the Health Secretary negotiate an end to these strikes when he can’t even negotiate with his own Chancellor?”

Mr Barclay replied: “Well we’ve been clear throughout that Government decisions on the pay review bodies are taken on a cross-Government basis and what we have demonstrated through the agreement with the largest group of staff, the NHS staff, the Agenda for Change, where we did reach an agreement, is we are willing to work constructively with trade union colleagues, but a 35% demand from the junior doctors is not one that is affordable and it is indeed one that he himself has said he does not support.”

Mr Streeting warned of the “devastating” impact of July’s strikes on patients, asking: “But the worst strikes in the history of the NHS are still to come. The impact of the junior doctors’ strikes, the consultant strikes will be devastating for patients and he has failed to stop these strikes for seven months now.

“He’s lost the confidence of nurses, he lost the confidence of radiologists, the junior doctors and consultants and he can’t even successfully negotiate with his own Chancellor. So what is the Health Secretary’s plan now to stop these strikes from going ahead?”

We are willing to engage constructively with trade union colleagues, but it is not affordable to meet the demand of 35%

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay

Mr Barclay replied: “His message isn’t even consistent from the weekend. At the weekend he was in the media saying that he wasn’t in a position to offer more money to the NHS, that the shadow chancellor had made that clear as they vainly attempt to demonstrate some sort of fiscal responsibility.

“He’s been clear he doesn’t support the doctors-in-training with their 35% demand.

“What we are demonstrating is we are working constructively, whether it’s with the Agenda for Change, the largest group – over a million staff – where we have reached a deal, or whether it’s responding constructively to the principal demand of the BMA (British Medical Association) in terms of consultants, which was for changes in terms of pension taxation.

“We are willing to engage constructively with trade union colleagues, but it is not affordable to meet the demand of 35%. He needs to decide which is it, his position at the weekend that they’re not offering more money, or his position today which seems to be that they will.”