THE chairman of Healthwatch Worcestershire says he is glad a compromise has been reached to bring an end to the junior doctors dispute.

It was announced on Wednesday that British Medical Association (BMA) leaders and the Government had reached a new deal for junior doctors, including a new pay structure for working weekends and evenings.

The deal - reached after eight days of negotiations - is now to be put to a ballot of medics.

One of the key issues in the dispute has been around weekend pay, as the Government had threatened to impose a contract that cut the pay offered to doctors at weekends, but increased basic pay.

This led to talks stalling and five separate strikes that saw juniors doctors walk out of Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.

The last strike, at the end of April, saw the first full walk-out, with no emergency cover provided, in the history of the NHS.

Under the compromise agreement, Saturdays and Sundays will attract premium pay if doctors - the vast majority of whom are expected to - work seven or more weekends in a year.

But across the board, there will be an average basic pay increase of between 10 and 11 per cent - down from the 13 per cent originally put forward by the Government.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the agreement was a "definitive step forward for patients, doctors and for the NHS as a whole".

And BMA junior doctor committee chairman Dr Johann Malawana described it as a "good deal" for junior doctors, and the "best and final way of resolving the dispute."

Peter Pinfield, chairman of Healthwatch Worcestershire - the body that represents patients in Redditch and Bromsgrove - said there had been posturing on both sides, with the Government making demands and unnecessary strikes by the junior doctors.

Mr Pinfield said: "I said a few weeks back we really needed the people around the table to act like grown-ups, and reach some sort of compromise, so I'm really glad that has come through.

"We could have been in this place at the beginning of the year.

"The agreement still needs to be voted on by the doctors - that is entirely a decision for them, I respect there is a democratic process.

"But I am glad there will be no more walk outs, which were starting to have a real impact. Hundreds of appointments had to be cancelled - it could not go on."