Hospital doctors in NI planning two days of strike as pay dispute with Stormont escalates
Northern Ireland’s hospitals are facing a walkout by doctors over what the British Medical Association (BMA) is describing as a below-inflation pay offer from Stormont’s health department.
If strike proposals are backed by its members, there will be two separate days of action – which will see accident and emergency departments and wards operating on “Christmas Day cover”.
Non-emergency medical treatments, surgeries and diagnostic tests will be cancelled. The BMA is calling for an immediate above inflation pay offer and a “credible pathway to full pay restoration”.
The Department of Health (DoH) said it is disappointed at the news, and minister Mike Nesbitt is committed to implementing this year’s pay award as soon as the Executive agrees departmental budgets.
If consultants and specialist doctors vote for strike action, they will down tools between 7am on Thursday 25 June and 7am the following morning.The BMA says the action will be in the form of Christmas Day cover – with a reduced number of senior doctors working but emergency care “maintained”.
Action by resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors – would mean a 24 hour walkout starting at 7am on Monday 29 June.
Stormont’s official opposition says the Executive “must take responsibility for the growing breakdown in relations” with healthcare workers.
SDLP MLA Colin McGrath said: “The Executive and Health Minister have once again allowed relationships with frontline staff to deteriorate to the point where industrial action is now being considered. Doctors do not take these decisions lightly”.
However the UUP said doctors “have a genuine ally” in Minister Nesbitt, and that taking strike action would only make the situation much worse.
Health spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA said: “Last year, against all odds and despite huge political and budgetary challenges, Mike Nesbitt was able to deliver in full the independently recommended pay award for doctors. This year the minister has again given a similar firm and personal commitment. He has been to the fore in engaging with his Executive colleagues and raising the major consequences of a budget still not being agreed.
“I do recognise that this dispute is not solely about pay being delayed. BMA members are also rejecting the recommended 3.5% award as too low. That is a serious concern, and one the Minister takes seriously.
“Even so, the prospect of the BMA taking strike action is not only unhelpful but entirely unfair and disheartening to the many thousands of patients who will inevitably suffer delays and cancellations as a result”.
A DoH spokesperson said: “The uplift recommended by the Review Body for 26/27 is 3.5%, which is higher than that which has been recommended for other healthcare professionals working in Health and Social Care and comes on top of an average cumulative 30% for Resident doctors, 25% for Specialty, Associate Specialist, and Specialist doctors and 24% for Consultants pay lifts over the last three years”.
They said recent progress on elective waiting lists – only been possible through the hard work, dedication and commitment of staff – could be put at risk by the action.
Speaking about the proposed strike dates, BMA’s Northern Ireland consultants committee chair, Dr David Farren, said: “We have notified health trusts and the Department of Health of these dates well ahead of the required seven days’ timeframe under trade union law. So they have enough notice to prepare accordingly.
“We accept this will cause disruption for patients and our health service colleagues. However, doctors have to take a stand against below inflation pay offers and the impact this is having on the workforce, offers that are not even guaranteed to be paid this year. It is insulting and demoralising.”
Dr Leanne Davison, chair of BMA’s Northern Ireland SAS committee, said: “We would not be holding a ballot for industrial action if we felt that there was any other course of action that would achieve our aims.
“Let me be clear: we are willing to talk to the government to avoid strike action. However, if we do not see any progress towards achieving our asks on pay, we will escalate our action and there will be longer strikes.”
Dr Steven Montgomery, chair of BMA’s Northern Ireland resident doctors committee, said: “We need to address pay erosion now as our health service cannot afford to lose younger doctors to other countries where there is better pay and better working conditions. The government has the power to do this by making an immediate above inflation pay offer and by setting out and agreed, credible, pathway to full pay restoration.”