Hospital Junior Staff

Abstract

Sir,?The very real problems and grievances of junior hospital doctors were fully examined in An Appraisal of the Hos pital published by the B.M.A. in July {Supplement, 17 July, p. 70). The memorandum made far-reaching proposals about their pay, hours of work, residence charges and other expenses, residential accom modation, and study leave. Some of these proposals are about to be included in the profession's evidence to the Review Body, and others are under negouation with the Health Departments. The pay proposals in An Appraisal of the Hospital Service were made in terms of the rates prevailing in 1963-6, and it was clearly indicated (in para graph 4 of the memorandum) that higher figures would be proposed to the Review Body for the period 1966-9. The Joint Consultants Committee's evidence to the Review Body is almost ready for submission. Expert economic and statisti cal advice on the betterment factor has been obtained ?nd substantially higher figures than those mentioned in An Appraisal of the Hospital will be proposed to the Review Body. A substantially higher mini mum figure than ?1,000 will be proposed for house-officers. The B M.A. has an active and representa tive Hospital Junior Staffs Group, whose considered views on the terms and condiuons of service of junior hospital doctors were published in the B.M.J. (Supplement, 21 August, p. 119) Full attention to these views ha> been paid by the Joint Consultants Com mittee in preparing its evidence for the Review Body, and there is very little of substance berween the desires of the Hospital Junior Staffs Group and the evidence being prepared by the Joint Evidence Qmimittee.?We are, etc., T. Holmes Sellors, Chairman, Joint Consultants Committee.