Sign in Subscribe
Physicians

NHS Head Attacks British Medical Association Over "Extortionate" Pay Demands

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Sir Jim Mackey, the head of the NHS, has attacked the British Medical Association (BMA) for demanding "extortionate" pay amid a strike row. The BMA has rejected 18 emergency requests by NHS hospitals for striking doctors to cross the picket line and help, with half of those rejections stating that they would only support the requests if "extortionate" pay rates were offered to striking doctors. The BMA is demanding a 29 per cent pay rise to return resident doctors to 2008 levels of pay, while the NHS has already awarded them a 28.9 per cent pay rise since Labour came into power.

Key Takeaways:

  • The BMA has rejected 18 emergency requests by NHS hospitals for striking doctors to cross the picket line and help, with half of those rejections stating that they would only support the requests if "extortionate" pay rates were offered to striking doctors.
  • The BMA is demanding a 29 per cent pay rise to return resident doctors to 2008 levels of pay, while the NHS has already awarded them a 28.9 per cent pay rise since Labour came into power.
  • Sir Jim has worked with NHS bosses to "overhaul the process for patient safety mitigations" with nine requests approved by Sunday night.
  • The exemptions are requested by senior NHS medics in exceptional circumstances to protect patient safety and must be agreed on a case-by-case basis by BMA leaders, including chairman, Dr Tom Dolphin.
  • As of Sunday evening, there had been 47 requests for 125 doctors, according to the BMA, with some pending or withdrawn.
  • Nurses, who are expected to overwhelmingly vote to reject their 3.6 per cent pay rise, could also ballot to take industrial action later this year.
  • Resident doctors are demanding that the NHs provide jobs for them, as a survey found that 52 percent had not secured a job for next month.
  • The BMA is also launching a separate dispute with the Government over "training bottlenecks," citing over 30,000 doctors applying for just 10,000 posts.
  • Health workers represented by the trade union, Unite, have voted to reject the 3.6 per cent pay award for this financial year, with 89 percent rejecting the deal.

Statistics:

  • The BMA has rejected 18 emergency requests, with half of those rejections stating that they would only support the requests if "extortionate" pay rates were offered to striking doctors.
  • 52 percent of resident doctors had not secured a job for next month, according to a survey of 1,053 resident doctors finishing their foundation training.
  • Over 30,000 doctors have applied for just 10,000 posts.
  • 89 percent of health workers represented by the trade union, Unite, have voted to reject the 3.6 per cent pay award for this financial year.

Sources:

  • The Telegraph
  • British Medical Association (BMA)
  • NHS
  • Unite
  • GMB union
  • Royal College of Nursing

Read more