Consultants threaten further strikes in September

Consultants in England will strike on September 19 and 20 if the Government continues to “refuse to agree to pay talks” and present the profession with a credible offer, it has been announced.

The BMA said that following a two-day strike in July, it has once again written to the Health Secretary Steve Barclay to invite him to discuss pay and reform of the doctors’ pay review body to end the industrial action which has hit the NHS.

Consultants in England are already planning to take industrial action on August 24 and 25.

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.”

Dr Sharma added: “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 said that in keeping with its consultants committee’s aim to ensure that hospitals have enough time to prepare and prioritise patients who need care the most, the September dates have been announced well in advance.

The September walkouts will again consist of “Christmas Day” cover, whereby all emergency services will remain in place.

“The fact that further dates have been announced also demonstrates consultants’ resolve and commitment to securing a better deal that begins to address the huge real-terms pay erosion they have experienced since 2008/09, and resetting the pay review process to its original principles so that the NHS can recruit and retain its most senior doctors,” said the BMA.

– Junior doctors in England are staging a four-day strike from 7am on Friday, also over pay.

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

The director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, Miriam Deakin, said: “This new round of strike action in September – just weeks after walkouts by junior doctors and consultants in August – will pile the pressure on the NHS and lead to more disruption for patients and trusts.

“Over 835,000 operations and appointments have been delayed since December due to nine months of back-to-back industrial action.

“But the knock-on disruption will be felt for months to come with many more patients not being booked in for appointments during strike days and others having their appointments rescheduled.

“Each wave of strikes sets back efforts to cut record high waiting lists, delays care for patients, and leads to mounting costs for trusts.

“Trust leaders understand the strength of feeling among striking staff. We need the Government and unions to find a solution fast, and ideally before the really challenging winter months.”

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.”