24 May 2004
Senior Doctors Congratulate Nurses For Vote On National Negotiations
“Senior doctors congratulate nurses for their overwhelming vote in favour of participating in national collective
agreement negotiations and wish them the best,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried
Medical Specialists, today.
“Despite senior doctors’ own national negotiations going on for over a year, we still recognise that national
agreements are necessary to help address recruitment and retention problems for health professionals. However, we hope
that the nurses will not be subjected to the same difficulties from health bosses as we have been and which have been so
destructive and counter-productive.”
“Although, contrary to the evidence, health bosses have denied that there is a serious problem of senior doctor
shortages, at least they are now admitting that it is a serious problem for nursing.”
“Senior doctors know more than most how valuable nurses are and how important it is to have fair and internationally
competitive terms and conditions of employment in order to avoid shortages and maintain services and standards of care
for patients,” concluded Mr Powell.
ENDS