Government to impose new contract on junior doctors

The Government will impose its new contract on junior doctors after talks failed to reach agreement, Jeremy Hunt has said.

The Health Secretary said the process had created "considerable dismay" among junior doctors but he felt that given time, the contract would be accepted as a good thing.

In a statement to the Commons he said no health secretary could ignore the fact that standards in NHS hospitals are "too low" at weekends and more patients die than during the week.

It is unclear whether the British Medical Association (BMA) will now stage further strikes in protest at the new contract.