FARNHAM MP and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has thanked “dedicated” NHS hospital staff for ensuring no patients came to harm during Tuesday’s unprecedented 24-hour walkout by junior doctors.

He told The Herald: “As the MP for South West Surrey, I know how lucky we are to have two of the best hospitals in the country – Frimley Park Hospital and the Royal Surrey County Hospital. 

“In light of this week’s strike action, I want to thank staff at our local hospitals who worked so hard to keep patients safe. Nearly 40 per cent of junior doctors across the country arrived for work, and our consultants, nursing staff and wider hospital staff all worked incredibly hard to make sure that patients didn’t come to harm.”

Mr Hunt, who recently became the seventh longest-serving health secretary of all time overtaking his predecessor in South West Surrey Virginia Bottomley, has been criticised by the British Medical Council (BMA) for seeking to impose a new contract on junior doctors the union feels will result in some doctors working longer hours for less money.

However, the MP has himself accused the BMA of refusing to fully consider his proposal and calling strike action prematurely.

He continued: “We want the NHS to be the safest healthcare system in the world. We know that is what doctors want too. So it was extremely disappointing that the BMA chose to reinstate industrial action for earlier this week. 

“In the end, this is an unnecessary dispute. There has been some disagreement about some of the pay issues, but I think there is agreement on the vast majority of the changes that we want to make in the medical profession.

“We all – doctors and politicians – want to promise every NHS patient the same high quality of care every day of the week. At the moment, mortality rates in some clinical areas are higher if you are admitted at the weekend. That cannot be acceptable. 

“The right thing to do is to sit around the table and talk to the government about how we deliver a truly seven-day NHS. This was a commitment in this government’s manifesto and endorsed by the British people.

“I have now asked ACAS to reconvene talks in the hope the BMA will return to sensible negotiations.

“In the meantime, I thank our dedicated hospital staff for their tireless contribution this week.”