Junior doctors on the Isle of Man have been told on the eve of the latest round of strike action in England that they will not have new contracts.
The island’s minister for health and social care Howard Quayle clarified the position for the island’s 24 junior doctors on the eve of the latest two day strike by junior doctors in England.
Quayle said: “The Department wishes to make its position absolutely clear following the recent changes imposed on junior doctors in England, there will be no changes in terms and conditions for junior doctors contracted by the DHSC in the Isle of Man.”
He added: “We have to strike a delicate balance with our terms and conditions for employees. This means making sure that our rates of pay and benefits represent value for money for the taxpayer whilst enabling us to attract and retain talented health and social care professionals.
I think our current arrangements have that balance right.”
Quayle also reached out to junior doctors from elsewhere in the UK to come and work on the island.
Last year the island staged a recruitment drive to ease the workload on GPs.
The government funded two salaried posts and there were three partner posts.
According to government figures 45 GPs had 87,140 patients on their books in 2014, including 16,692 patients over 65.
The island also runs a two-year foundation programme for junior doctors at the 314-bed Nobles Hospital in the capital Douglas.
Junior doctors on the Isle of of Man have not joined the British Medical Association (BMA) strike action in England.
The union representative Dr Prakash Thiagarajan said: “I am delighted that the Isle of Man government has decided, in line with the positions in Scotland and Wales to continue with the current contract for junior doctors in the Isle of Man, instead of following the UK government in attempting to impose a new contract on junior doctors in England, which the BMA views as unsafe for patients and unfair for doctors.”
