Acas Offers Conciliation in England’s Resident Doctors’ Strike, But Prospects Remain Uncertain
Acas, the UK’s independent advisory, conciliation, and arbitration service, has offered its services to mediate the ongoing dispute between resident doctors and the government, as the strike enters its 14th iteration over issues of pay and working conditions. the offer comes amid growing pressure on both sides to find a resolution, but initial responses suggest a path forward remains elusive.
The intervention by Acas follows calls from NHS leaders and the Patients Association for independent mediation to break the deadlock. According to a statement released by the organization, Acas is “in contact with all the parties involved in the resident doctors’ dispute.”
However, the situation quickly became clouded by conflicting statements. A senior official initially indicated that Acas was already actively involved in brokering a deal,a claim that was later retracted.The official clarified that Acas had simply made its services available to both the government and the British Medical Association (BMA).
“We have a team of experts who are well-prepared and ready to help with the resident doctors’ dispute,” the official stated,emphasizing Acas’s decades of experience in dispute resolution. “Our collective conciliation service is impartial, free and independent. It is also voluntary,which means we can only hold formal conciliation talks if all the parties in dispute agree to use Acas.”
The Patients Association has strongly urged both sides to accept Acas’s offer. “This dispute has dragged on too long,with repeated strikes proving that direct negotiations alone cannot resolve it,” said Rachel Power,the organization’s chief executive. “Something has to move. Acas has confirmed they are ready and willing to help, but they can only act when both parties agree to take part. We call on the BMA and government to make that agreement now.”
Despite the offer, the likelihood of Acas’s involvement appears slim. The Department of Health and Social Care asserted that it had not received any formal proposal from Acas to act as an arbitrator. “There has been no offer from Acas regarding the BMA’s dispute with government,” a spokesperson said. “All our focus is on mitigating the impact of strike action on patients and staff.”
The BMA has also expressed skepticism. Dr. Jack Fletcher, chair of the resident doctors commitee, stated via social media that neither he nor any member of the negotiating team had been contacted by acas. “We are aware of mediation services like Acas but at this stage we do not believe mediation is a route we need to consider.”
The current strike, which began on Wednesday and is scheduled to conclude on Monday, involves thousands of resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors.The BMA has already initiated a new ballot of its 55,000 members,potentially paving the way for a fresh series of strikes starting in February or March if approved. The current legal mandate for striking expires on January 6th.
The ongoing industrial action has drawn criticism from political leaders. During Prime Minister’s Questions, Keir Starmer labeled the strike “hazardous and utterly irresponsible,” citing a surge in flu cases and increased hospitalizations. Dr. Fletcher countered that resident doctors felt compelled to strike due to the government’s insufficient response to their demands regarding p
