Doctors warn of strikes ‘to next general election and beyond’ unless staff given better pay deal

Doctors have warned that strikes could continue “to the next general election - and beyond” unless the government offers a better pay deal.

Chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) Dr Phil Banfield will today urge ministers to enter pay talks in a bid to prevent further NHS walkouts.

He said the “loss of trust” between doctor and the government is the worst it has been in his 30 years in the profession and said it as an “absolute travesty” that medics feel they have no other choice than to take strike action.

Later this month, junior doctors are planning to stage the largest walkout in the history of the NHS as they walkout over five days from 13 to 18 July. Consultants - the most senior doctors in the NHS - are also planning to stage industrial action on 20 to 21 July, where they will only provide scaled-back “Christmas day cover”.

The BMA wants ministers to enter talks through the conciliation service Acas and said the government’s precondition to not get around the table when strikes are planned is a “completely artificial red line”.

Speaking ahead of the BMA’s annual conference, Dr Banfield said: “The loss of trust that has happened between this government and the medical profession I’ve never seen before. We’ve asked for multiple meetings and because of the dispute, they have been declined. It’s really sad for the NHS to be in this state.

“It is a complete fallacy that to solve the doctors dispute is unaffordable, it costs more to not fix it than to fix it. It is an absolute travesty that we’re in the position where doctors feel that there is no alternative but to take strike action.”

He added: “We signalled a year ago that this was the issue, they have taken an enormously long time to engage and when they have engaged it’s been for the briefest of moments and it hasn’t felt like they have a genuine interest in settling the pay dispute with doctors.”

Asked if consultants would conduct a string of strikes, as seen with junior doctors, he said medics are taking it “one step at a time” to solve the pay issue, but stressed that the government has time “to fix this” before the next strikes take place.

The BMA’s main conference – its annual representative meeting – will take place in Liverpool from Monday to Wednesday (3 to 5 July). Dr Banfield will tell the conference that the government is “investing in the future of the Australian workforce” as doctors seek work overseas. He will say the Treasury is “ignoring the workforce crisis as the Australian government drives billboards to picket lines to advertise a better life for junior doctors.”

The senior medic will also tell delegates that the union will be doing more to support whistleblowers and those who are being bullied in the workplace. He said: “It hasn’t been a good experience for many doctors in the workplace. So, bullying, victimisation, raising concerns and finding that you’re not thanked for doing so – these are ongoing issues that the BMA has been supporting people with.

“It is bizarre that a caring environment and a caring profession ends up not being cared for itself – if no one cares about the carers, you can’t expect them to give good care. So part of what I will be speaking about is to say that the BMA will be doing a lot more to support everyone in the workplace as well.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We hugely value the work of junior doctors and NHS consultants. We’ve been engaging with both the BMA Junior Doctors Committee and BMA Consultants Committee on their concerns and it is disappointing that BMA members have voted for strike action.

“We stand ready to open talks again – we urge them to come to the negotiating table rather than proceeding with their proposed strike dates. Strikes are hugely disruptive for patients and put pressure on other NHS staff, and we continue to call on the BMA to carefully consider the likely impact of any action on patients.”