Third cluster of Northern Ireland doctors vote to go on strike this month - joining residents and consultants
Another group of doctors have voted to walk out later this month in a dispute over pay.
Specialist, associate specialist and specialty grade doctors (known as SAS doctors) will be striking from 7am on Thursday, June 25, until 7am the following morning.
It follows the results of a ballot which concluded today.
This is now the third group of doctors to approve strike action this month, after resident doctors (formerly known as juniors) and consultants both voted in favour four days earlier.
The turnout for the SAS doctors’ ballot was only 36%, but of those who voted 90% opted to strike.
In a statement accompanying the results, Dr Leanne Davison, chairwoman of the British Medical Association’s Northern Ireland SAS committee, said: “SAS doctors do not take the decision to strike lightly, and this result reflects the strength of feeling across our workforce about pay erosion.
“We are an essential part of the health and social care workforce, with experience comparable to our consultant and more senior resident doctor colleagues.
"Yet, like them, we have seen our pay steadily eroded since 2008.
“The persistent lack of recognition and limited opportunities for career progression within the health service have only compounded the sense that SAS doctors are undervalued.
“This clear ‘yes’ vote shows that we have reached a tipping point. SAS doctors are prepared to stand up for the future of the medical workforce and the care we provide to patients.”
She concluded: “Strike action is still avoidable.
"It is now up to the government to come forward with a meaningful and credible offer that makes real progress towards pay restoration.”
In Northern Ireland resident doctors’ pay begins at about £36,000 and rises on a scale up to around £71,000.
SAS doctors begin at about £62,000 and rise up to about £111,000.
Consultant pay starts at about £111,000 and goes up to about £146,000.
By comparison, in GB, consultants’ starting pay is just slightly higher than NI, but at the top end of the scale consultants can earn £157,457.
In the Republic of Ireland a consultant at the top of their payscale can earn around £248,000.
The SAS doctors will be striking simultaneously with the consultants on June 25/26, while the resident doctors are striking from 7am on Monday June 29 to 7am the next day.
The SAS and consultants’ strike action will take the form of “Christmas Day cover”.
In other words, a very basic level of staffing will be in place, allowing for “full emergency care” to continue, though “most routine and elective services will be cancelled,” said the BMA.
The resident doctors’ strike meanwhile is a straight 24-hour walk-out.
On offer was a 3.5% pay rise, which the BMA had rejected.
Doctors in Northern Ireland accepted a roughly 4% pay rise last year.
The UK’s current inflation rate is 2.8%.
In all, 1,599 resident doctors were balloted, with the turnout being 38% (equivalent to 608 doctors) – and 92% of those voting opting to strike.
In addition, 1,167 consultants were balloted, with the turnout being 58.8% (equivalent to 686 doctors) – and 79% of those voting opting to strike.
The BMA has not said how many SAS doctors were balloted in all.