Health secretary Jeremy Hunt’s latest attempt to reassure junior doctors over new contracts and head off a strike has led to accusations of him shifting positions over whether some would see cuts to their pay.
On Wednesday, Hunt wrote to the British Medical Association (BMA) to say he could "give a firm guarantee on behalf of the government that no junior doctor will see their pay cut compared to their current contract".
But in a BBC interview 24 hours later, he admitted that some doctors who worked more than an average of 56 hours a week could see a cut to their pay. Pressed to explain the change, the health secretary told BBC Breakfast that a "small minority" of doctors working more than their average hours would lose "what is colloquially called in the NHS 'danger money'".
In a statement responding to Hunt's comments, the chair of the BMA's junior doctors' committee, Dr Johann Malawana said: "It makes it impossible for junior doctors to trust the government when they have been caught out trying to gloss over the facts."
Hunt's comments were greeted with dismay and confusion by junior doctors, many of whom said they had never heard the "danger money" term.
"Danger Money" said no doctor, ever
"Danger money"??? Has @Jeremy_Hunt got a little overexcited at the release of the new Bond? #juniorcontract
The contract proposed by the health secretary would see "sociable working hours", for which junior doctors are paid a standard rate, change from 7am–7pm Monday–Friday to 7am–10pm Monday–Saturday.
Doctors have said the new contract also removes safeguards that mean hospitals can be penalised for overworking juniors.
The money that doctors claim they stand to lose because of these changes has been a key sticking point of the ongoing battle between doctors and Hunt.
Hi @Jeremy_Hunt. The phrase "danger money" is categorically not a colloquialism in the NHS. Nobody had ever heard of before you made it up.
Many doctors say they are already being overworked, but that they are compensated accordingly under the current contract.
.@Jeremy_Hunt if you could let me know how I can claim danger money I'd be grateful. It must be a new bonus of some sort? Never heard of it!
Payday today! Although slightly disappointed as the "danger money" mentioned by Jeremy Hunt this morning wasn't included #juniorcontract
The BMA is due to ballot junior doctors on whether they will strike over the proposed new contract on Thursday next week.