The pay dispute between junior doctors in England and the government has reached a new level, with doctors striking for the tenth time. The five-day walkout began at 7am GMT, with NHS officials warning that the resulting disruption would be severe. Half of the doctors in hospitals are juniors and as such, hospital operations and check-ups are expected to be severely affected. The British Medical Association (BMA) has requested a 35% pay rise, which government ministers have described as an unreasonable request.
Junior doctors received an average pay rise of nearly 9% this fiscal year, with the option of an additional 3% increase being discussed during talks last year. Those discussions ended without a resolution being reached. The BMA’s pay request of 35% would account for the below-inflation pay rises of the past 15 years. The BMA has boycotted the pay review process for next year’s pay rises, refusing to present evidence to the independent pay review body. Instead, the union is balloting members for a new six-month strike mandate. The results of the ballot are expected in March.
During the strike, routine hospital services are expected to be most affected as senior doctors will be drafted in to cover emergency care. The NHS has advised patients to call 111 for all non-life-threatening emergencies; those requiring life-saving treatment should call 999 as normal.
The strike is the last one that the BMA can call under the current mandate which expires at the end of February. No further action is currently planned by consultants in England as talks are ongoing between the government and the BMA. Last month, BMA members narrowly rejected a fresh pay offer
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