In a significant escalation of the ongoing pay dispute with the government, junior doctors and consultants in England are set to stage synchronized strikes during the autumn. This marks the first time in the course of this dispute that both groups will join forces, following an overwhelming vote by junior doctors in favor of continuing with strike action.
The decision to coordinate strikes was ratified in a ballot conducted by the British Medical Association (BMA), where an overwhelming 98% voted in favor, effectively granting the union a renewed six-month mandate to proceed with their industrial action.
Government ministers, however, have criticized this move, describing it as “callous and calculated.”
To kickstart this coordinated effort, junior doctors are scheduled to strike from the 20th to the 22nd of September, with the first day coinciding with a pre-planned walkout by consultants. Subsequently, both groups will again stage strikes from the 2nd to the 4th of October, aligning their actions.
During these combined strike periods, provisions will be made to ensure coverage for emergency services and a limited staffing presence on the hospital wards.
Dr. Rob Laurenson and Dr. Vivek Trivedi, co-chairmen of the BMA junior doctor committee, issued a resounding message to the government, stating, “We are sending a single message, loud and clear to the government: ‘we are not going anywhere.’ We are prepared to continue with our industrial action, but we don’t have to – the prime minister has the power to halt any further action by making us a credible offer.”
The BMA has underscored the need for a 35% pay increase for junior doctors to compensate for what it contends are 15 years of wage rises that have failed to keep pace with inflation. In contrast, the government has offered junior doctors a 6% increase, along with an additional £1,250, resulting in an average raise of nearly 9%. The government has also emphasized that there will be no further negotiations, as they consider this offer to be the final settlement, aligning with the recommendations of the independent pay review body.
The ongoing strikes by NHS staff, which have disrupted over 940,000 appointments and treatments since December, highlight the gravity of the pay dispute and its impact on healthcare services in England.
