Get updates on labour disputes in the UK for free
Subscribe to our myFT Daily Digest email and receive the latest news on UK labour disputes every morning.
Senior NHS doctors have made an offer to suspend further strike action if ministers agree to participate in pay talks mediated by Acas, providing hope for resolving one of the most challenging pay disputes in England’s public sector.
However, an ally of Steve Barclay, the health secretary, stated that the government had already given a pay award based on the recommendations of the independent pay review body, and there is no intention to renegotiate.
This week, both consultants and junior doctors, represented by the British Medical Association, are staging a series of three-day strikes during the Conservative party’s annual conference, resulting in hospitals operating with staffing levels similar to those on Christmas Day. A mass rally is planned by medical professionals on Tuesday outside the conference centre in Manchester.
Barclay, who has publicly criticized senior doctors for taking action, accusing them of withholding vital cancer treatment, despite being among the top 2% of public sector earners, has seen over 1 million appointments and procedures cancelled since December due to NHS strikes.
No direct talks have occurred between Barclay and the British Medical Association in over six months, with the government stipulating that negotiations would only be possible if strikes were discontinued.
The BMA announced on Tuesday that, as no further action is scheduled, its consultants’ committee has written to the prime minister proposing negotiations that could be facilitated by Acas if necessary. They have also formally requested the involvement of Acas.
In their letter to Barclay, the BMA stated that they would refrain from calling any further strikes for four weeks to allow time for talks, but would resume action in the absence of a “credible deal that we can put to our members by November 3”.
Vishal Sharma, chair of the BMA consultants’ committee, stated, “If they fail to negotiate, we are not going anywhere.”
The Department of Health and Social Care has repeatedly urged the BMA to prioritize patients and end their disruptive strikes.
“We’re offering doctors a fair and reasonable pay increase, as recommended by the independent pay review body. Doctors in training will receive an average increase of approximately 8.8%, which is higher than what most public and private sector employees are receiving. Consultants will receive a 6% pay rise,” added the department.
Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, described the offer as an “olive branch” that could be the first step towards ending the disruption caused by strikes.
“Something has to give. We can’t enter another winter with the threat of more strikes hanging over the NHS,” he said. He added that industrial action makes it nearly impossible for the NHS to reduce growing waiting lists.
However, the BMA did not mention any offer to open talks with ministers regarding junior doctors’ pay, despite a similar suggestion earlier in the year for mediated talks by Acas.
The NHS Confederation, representing health organizations across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, considered the BMA’s arbitration offer a positive step, but leaders would prefer industrial action to be suspended for both consultants and junior doctors while Acas mediates talks.
Matthew Taylor, the confederation’s chief executive, stated that both sides in the dispute owe it to the public to resume talks in the hope of reaching a compromise before winter arrives.
He also added that if this doesn’t happen, “there needs to be honesty about how achievable the prime minister’s key pledge of reducing the size of the waiting list by March 2024 is”.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
