NHS consultants threaten more strikes next month if pay talks don’t reopen

Consultants in England are set to strike again next month if the government continues to ‘refuse to agree to pay talks’, the BMA union has announced.

Following their two-day strike in July, the BMA has once again written to health secretary Steve Barclay to invite him to discuss pay.

But the government says they have made their final offer and won’t reopen talks.

The BMA also wants the doctors’ pay review body to be reformed, in order to bring industrial action to an end.

Consultants already plan to strike on August 24 and 25, but they say if talks aren’t reopened they say they’ll strike again on September 19 and 20.

The September strikes will again consist of ‘Christmas Day cover’, which means all emergency services will remain in place.

Dr Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chairman said: ‘It is now 133 days since the secretary of state last met with us, demonstrating the government’s complete disregard for the expertise and value of consultants, and the very future of the health service and its patients.

‘We are once again appealing to the health secretary to return to the table and discuss both pay and reform of the rigged pay review process, so that we can reach a point where strikes are not necessary.

‘Consultants will go out on strike at the end of this month, and for a further two days in September – demonstrating our resolve and clearly signalling to government that we’re in this for the long haul.

‘However, neither of these strikes need to take place at all if the government drops its intransigent position.

‘The prime minister has blamed the record waiting lists in the NHS on staff taking a stand for their pay and conditions – a claim that has backfired spectacularly.

‘Waiting lists were rising steadily due to the government’s underfunding of the NHS and were at a record high before any industrial action started and even before the pandemic.

‘He says that everyone must play their part to bring the waiting list down but his refusal to negotiate a deal that would ensure the NHS can recruit and retain doctors to address the current workforce crisis is the biggest barrier to achieving this.

‘No consultant wants to take strike action but unless we take a stand, we risk losing our most experienced doctors, putting the very future of the NHS at risk.

‘It’s not too late to avert these strikes and we call upon the health secretary to meet with us urgently.’

The BMA says consultants’ pay has fallen in real terms by 35% since 2008, following a series of below inflation rises.

Junior doctors are set to walk out for four days on Friday, also over pay.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘It is disappointing consultants have announced further strike dates affecting patients and hampering efforts to cut NHS waiting lists.

‘We have accepted the independent pay review body recommendations in full, giving consultants a 6% pay rise that will see average basic full-time pay increase by around £6,300 to £111,800 – which in cash terms is above what most in the public and private sectors are receiving.

‘This is on top of the 4.5% rise they received last year and generous changes to pension taxation.

‘This pay award is final and we urge the BMA to call an end to strikes.’

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