Sympathy towards striking doctors is diminishing as two-thirds of the British population support the government’s public sector pay deals, according to a poll. Hospital consultants, with average incomes of £134,000, have launched a two-day walkout which is expected to result in the cancellation of tens of thousands of appointments and operations. The consultants are seeking a 35% pay rise, as waiting lists in hospitals have reached a record high of 7.47 million. However, the poll reveals that 65% of the public believe the government was right to give pay rises of around 6% to teachers, doctors, and police officers with the aim of ending industrial action. Mick Lynch, the leader of the RMT railway union, has urged consultants to continue their fight for more pay.
Since strikes began seven months ago, almost 700,000 NHS appointments have been cancelled. Last week, junior doctors staged a five-day walkout, resulting in over 100,000 cancelled appointments. The pay rise awarded to the junior doctors, which is higher than that given to nurses, led teaching unions to suspend strikes, but the British Medical Association dismissed it as ‘insulting’ and ‘derisory’.
A new strike law has been granted Royal Assent, allowing the government to impose minimum levels of service during industrial action in sectors deemed essential. Consultants continue to rally outside hospitals and the BMA’s London headquarters, with the support of Mick Lynch. However, a survey conducted by think tank and pollster More in Common reveals a significant change in public opinion, with only 19% of respondents disagreeing with the government’s pay award. Across all major political parties, there is widespread backing for the government’s move.
Luke Tryl, UK Director of More in Common, states that sympathy for striking doctors appears to be waning after being offered a decent pay deal, resulting in a reversal of support. The BMA has admitted to using patients as ‘leverage’ in their fight for higher wages, and they acknowledge that their strikes will impact pledged waiting time reductions. Health Secretary Steve Barclay has expressed disappointment over the decision to continue with the strikes despite the 6% pay rise, which will increase consultants’ average incomes from £128,000 to £134,000 per year. The consultants are currently providing urgent care only during the strike, in a manner comparable to Christmas Day operations.
Consultants argue that their pay has been reduced in real terms since 2008 and are demanding pay restoration and reform of the pay review body. They claim that their income has only increased by 14% over this period compared to the almost 80% rises seen by other comparable professions such as lawyers, accountants, and architects. Dr. Vishal Sharma, chair of the BMA consultants committee, emphasizes that this dispute is not only about one year’s pay settlement but also about the overall decline in their pay over 14 years and the broken pay review process. Consultants have reached a breaking point and will stand on picket lines to express their anger.
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