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Conservatives Plan to Ban Strikes by NHS Doctors
The leader of the Conservative party, Kemi Badenoch, has announced plans to prohibit strikes by all NHS doctors if the party is re-elected. Badenoch stated that legislation would be introduced to establish minimum service levels and prevent doctors from participating in widespread industrial action, similar to the restrictions placed on police officers and soldiers.
Dr. Tom Dolphin, chair of the British Medical Association trade union, criticized the proposal as a “desperate intervention” from a Conservative Party that has allegedly failed the NHS over the past 15 years. The announcement comes as resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, embarked on a five-day strike following unsuccessful negotiations between the government and the BMA regarding pay.
In the UK, the only individuals legally prohibited from striking are police officers and non-civilian members of the armed forces. While doctors have the right to strike like any other public or private sector employee, the previous government had considered implementing legislation for minimum service levels in certain sectors, including healthcare. Despite receiving a 5.4% pay rise this year, the BMA claims that doctors’ pay has decreased by a fifth since 2008 after adjusting for inflation, necessitating a 26% increase to reverse the wage decline in real terms.
Badenoch justified the party’s decision by criticizing the BMA for becoming “more and more militant” and highlighting the generous pay rise already received by resident doctors. Emphasizing the importance of doctors’ work and the need for a fair deal that supports both doctors and taxpayers, Badenoch proposed the ban on strikes as a means to protect patients and public finances. However, Dr. Dolphin argued that strike action is a last resort for doctors, asserting that the right to strike should always be preserved in a modern democracy. He also noted that the BMA and NHS England have established protocols for hospitals to request striking doctors’ return in case of emergencies during industrial action
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