Junior doctors want safe and fair contracts

The Government has made it clear that their intention is to impose a new contract that we all believe will be dangerous for the patients we care for and also result in a significant pay cut for many junior doctors.

We are writing to tell you that we are undertaking industrial action out of absolute desperation. The Government has repeatedly failed to participate in meaningful negotiation with our appointed representatives, the British Medical Association, and instead continues to threaten and misrepresent our position.

We want a contract that is safe and fair. As it stands, the threatened contract is neither; it removes vital safeguards that prevent us working dangerously excessive hours and it financially penalises the doctors who work late into the evening and weekends.

The care of our patients remains our foremost concern and we will work in full cooperation with our employer Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust to ensure that essential services are maintained. However, to be clear, we believe that industrial action is required in order to oppose a contract that has the clear potential to damage future patient care.

Many of you have expressed your support for our cause over the past few weeks and we want to thank you for this. Working at the Royal Sussex County Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital is a privilege and we will continue to do our best to deliver the best possible care.

Dr Adam Earp, Dr Adam Gyulai-Lancaster, Dr Amanda Jewison, Dr Andrew Mortimer, Dr Anna Nagy, Dr. Anna Nicholson-Lailey, Dr Anna Robertson, Dr Anthony Fung, Dr Benedict McDonaugh, Dr Bernadette de Jager, Mr Bhaskar Thakur, Dr Charline Bradshaw, Dr Charlotte Perrett, Mr Christopher Gee, Dr Ciara Holden, Dr Claire Stikans, Dr Dannika Buckley-Denton, Dr Delia Toomey, Dr Emily Arch, Mr Gareth Chan, Dr George Pavey, Dr Hannah Rosen O’Sullivan, Dr Harriet Davies, Dr Heather Reid, Dr Ian Nouvel, Dr Isla Leslie, Dr Jack Reid, Dr Jack Wills, Dr James Harley, Dr James Price, Dr Jasmin Islam, Dr Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Dr Jessica Theile, Dr Jonathan Bigwood, Dr Joshua Rubenstein, Dr Juan Carlos Gudiel Ramos, Dr Keval Patel, Dr Lara Staffurth, Dr Laura Freire-Moran, Dr Leah Desmond, Dr Liam Carroll, Dr Liam Gillespie, Dr Louise Crowe, Dr Lucy Bentley, Dr Luise Brown, Dr Luliana Barla, Dr Madhumita Shrotri, Dr Marie-Therese O’Carroll, Dr Matthew Clarke, Dr Melanie D’Costa, Dr Michele Homsy, Dr Miriam Saey Al-Rifai, Dr Mitul Patel, Dr Mohammed Al-Talib, Dr Nicola Dearnley, Dr Nicolas Pinto-Sander, Dr Paula Walters, Dr Rachel Madders, Dr Rachel Underwood, Dr Rob Guy, Dr Rosanna Grimes, Dr Ruta Maniusyte, Dr Samuel Freeman, Dr Sarah Burnett, Dr Sarah Kingdon, Dr Sarah Steely, Dr Sean Mitchell, Dr Simon Tavabie, Dr Sonia Akrimi, Dr Thomas Goldthorpe, Dr Thomas Newman, Dr Titus Murphy, Dr Todd Leckie,

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Eastern Road

Brighton