The British Medical Association (BMA) have announced that they won’t be calling any more strikes until November to open up time for important talks with the government. The announcement comes after a wave of strikes led by consultants with the latest round coming over a 72-hour period at the beginning of this month.
Following recent strike action, NHS consultants wrote to the government to request talks over the ongoing pay dispute. The government have accepted the request and will enter negotiations with the BMA, but are adamant that they won’t be increasing wages.
The three-day strike from the 2nd-5th October saw both consultants and junior doctors take part which resulted in millions of appointments and operations delayed. Health bosses had implored both sides to enter talks to prevent worse disruption over the winter months and their wish has now been granted.
While there is optimism that a resolution will be found, it’s not quite time to celebrate the end of NHS strike action just yet. The BMA are chasing a larger pay increase than the 6% they were given earlier this year, which was recommended by the independent pay review body. This is something the Department of Health and Social Care is not willing to sanction.
Headline pay won’t be on the table
Yesterday, a spokesperson for the government said:
“We have agreed to meet the BMA consultants’ committee following their commitment to pause strike action, in the hope we will find a resolution and end the dispute.
“We have been clear headline pay will not be on the table. Doctors have already received a fair and reasonable pay rise as recommended by the independent pay review body, which we’ve accepted in full.
“This means doctors who started their hospital training this year have received a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8% and consultants 6%, alongside generous reforms to their pensions — the BMA’s number one ask.”
The 6% increase that consultants have been offered would take their basic salary to between £93,000 and £126,000. There is also scope for them to earn more money through being on-call or working overtime.
BMA seeking a reform of the pay review process
The statement from the government is unlikely to go down well with BMA members. From their side, they are looking for a 12% wage increase due to the losses they feel they have incurred from inflation. The Chair of the BMA consultants committee, Dr Vishal Sharma, said:
“Following our letter indicating we would pause strike dates and requesting the government enter negotiations with us, we have now received an invitation to talks with the Department of Health and Social Care.
“The BMA consultants committee has been clear that reform of the broken pay review process is essential to resolving this dispute and that the reformed pay review body is to make truly independent recommendations on pay in order to correct for the losses that consultants have experienced that have resulted in the current workforce crisis. We will be expecting to discuss and explore other solutions in the forthcoming talks.
“It is good to see the government is willing to come to the table and it is vital that they commit to serious negotiations with a view to bringing this avoidable dispute to a conclusion.”
Although the two sides appear to be at loggerheads in regards to what they expect to come out of the next round of talks, the NHS Confederation representing employers has stated that the fact talks are set to take place is, in itself, a “positive step in the right direction.”
Final thought
With the NHS already facing significant challenges, a prolonged dispute could have serious consequences for patients. It’s imperative that both sides approach these talks with a willingness to compromise and find a mutually acceptable solution to prevent further disruption to healthcare services.
If the government isn’t willing to budge on its 6% pay offer for consultants, then the BMA should be open to alternative solutions given most consultants already earn a six-figure salary. Ultimately, a fair and reasonable solution must be found to ensure that NHS patients receive the best possible care.
