Prof Derek Bell, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said:
“We continue to share many of the concerns of junior doctors about the current proposals for the new contract in England. The threat of imposition is adversely affecting morale, increasing pressure on staff who already work in a challenging environment, and creating an unsettling situation for patients.
“As a Royal College we are not part of the contract negotiations, but we share the fears that the contract will impact upon the delivery of high-quality patient care, the future sustainability of the NHS in England, and feel there could be potential ramifications across the UK.
““We urge everyone involved to restart negotiations without preconditions as a matter of urgency, bearing in mind the concerns that exist across the healthcare profession.“A conciliation service – independent of Government - should be brought in to manage the negotiations and help resolve this situation.”
