To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (i) for his assessment of the new junior doctors contract to be introduced in August 2016; and (ii) how this will impact on the health and wellbeing of both patients and doctors.

Our junior doctors deserve a contract which is fair to them and which recognises the key role they play in delivering services to the people of Northern Ireland. They are a highly valued part of our workforce and I pay tribute to their contribution. I have made clear that I have no desire whatsoever to impose a new contract on junior doctors. An imposed contract would be the worst possible outcome.

I do, however, have sympathy for the Department of Health’s desire to improve the existing contract which everyone has agreed is not fit for purpose - but it is essential that we work with our staff to achieve it. Just as imposing a new contract is far from ideal, so too is maintaining a contract that is broadly regarded as being unsatisfactory.

I am fully committed to doing what is in the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland and that means I will not do anything that jeopardises patient safety and achieving the highest standard of care.