Sign in Subscribe
Physicians

Cancer Surgeries Cancelled During Doctors' Strike, Union Demands "Extortionate" Pay Rates

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Cancer patients were among those to have their operations shelved this week as the doctors' strike continues, with The Independent understanding that hospitals attempted to maintain planned care during the five-day walkout. The British Medical Association (BMA) has demanded "extortionate pay rates" for striking doctors to return to work and address patient safety concerns, with NHS England chief Sir Jim Mackey stating that previous strikes had shown that "harm was being caused to patients" when emergency care was prioritised over planned operations. The union had demanded that consultants who were asked to step in be paid thousands of pounds to cover a single night shift.

Key Takeaways:

  • 58 requests were made to the BMA for doctors to work at hospitals where patients could be at risk, with 18 being rejected due to the union's demand for "extortionate pay rates".
  • The BMA had demanded that consultants be paid thousands of pounds to cover a single night shift, with pay rates of up to £313 per hour for an overnight shift.
  • NHS England chief Sir Jim Mackey stated that previous strikes had shown that "harm was being caused to patients" when emergency care was prioritised over planned operations.
  • The BMA has insisted on a 29% pay rise for doctors, citing a 20.9% erosion of pay since 2008, despite the government's offer of a 5.4% pay increase.
  • Health secretary Wes Streeting has claimed that doctors have received a 28% pay increase since Labour came into power.

Statistics:

  • 5.4%: the pay increase offer for 2025-26 rejected by the BMA.
  • 29%: the pay rise demanded by the BMA for doctors.
  • 20.9%: the erosion of pay from 2008 according to the BMA.
  • 28%: the pay increase claimed by the government since Labour came into power.
  • £188: the BMA-suggested pay rate for a weekday daytime shift for consultants.
  • £250: the BMA-suggested pay rate for a weekend day shift or weekday evening shift for consultants.
  • £313: the BMA-suggested pay rate for an overnight shift for consultants.

Sources:

  • The Independent
  • NHS England
  • British Medical Association
  • The Guardian
  • BBC News

Note: The above article is a rewritten version of the original text, preserving the original quotes, statistics, and context, while condensing the information into a clear and concise format. The sources are listed as they appear in the original text.

Read more