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Physicians

NHS Doctors Prepare for Strike Action Amid Pay Dispute

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

BMA union bosses have announced that consultants and specialty doctors will take part in an indicative ballot over an "insulting" pay offer, with a formal ballot set to close in early July. The move comes amid an escalating row over NHS pay, with many doctors still reeling from a 4% pay uplift in May that the BMA claims does not go far enough in restoring historical pay freezes. The indicative ballot will open on July 21 and close on September 1, with union officials warning that further action may be necessary if the Health Secretary does not respond to their offer of a meeting for negotiations.

Key Takeaways:

  • The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced that consultants and specialty doctors in England will participate in an indicative ballot over an "insulting" pay offer.
  • The indicative ballot, which will ask whether doctors are willing to take part in industrial action, will run from July 21 to September 1.
  • The BMA claims that the 4% pay uplift in May does not adequately restore historical pay freezes and undoes progress made in the previous year.
  • Senior medics, including consultants and SAS doctors, have offered "fully fledged" support to their resident doctor colleagues in their formal ballot for action.
  • SAS doctors are particularly affected by the pay "award," with their pay set to be down by almost a quarter in real terms compared to 2008.
  • Resentment over pay has led to staffing shortages, with resident doctors in the North East reporting difficulty in finding jobs, despite the NHS struggling with waiting lists.
  • The BMA has offered to meet with the Health Secretary for negotiations, but has received no response, leading them to prepare for the possibility of further action.

Statistics:

  • 4% pay uplift for doctors in May, which the BMA claims is below April's RPI (Retail Price Index) inflation.
  • 17 years of pay cuts endured by consultants, resulting in huge losses in value.
  • 25% pay reduction in real terms for SAS doctors compared to 2008, despite working the same hours.
  • 30% (4%) pay uplift for resident doctors in May, part of which is still under negotiation.
  • 2023 saw a significant strike by hospital consultants on the British Medical Association picket line at the RVI in Newcastle.
  • July 21: Opened the indicative ballot for consultants and specialist, associate specialist, and specialty SAS doctors.

Sources:

  • "Medics set for more strike action as union reveals senior staff taking part in indicative ballot over pay". Source: NHS (no date or publication date mentioned)
  • British Medical Association BMA statement, citing Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, co-chairs of the BMA consultants committee.
  • "BMA rejects NHS pay rise as 'insulting' and 'undoes' previous progress". Source: The Guardian (article dated 14 June 2023, author not mentioned)
  • "Junior doctors in North East struggle to find jobs as NHS grapples with waiting lists". Source: ChronicleLive (article dated 12 June 2023, author not mentioned)

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