Consultants across England have officially voted in favour of future strike action, citing ongoing concerns regarding pay and pensions. In a ballot conducted by the British Medical Association (BMA), 76% of participating senior doctors indicated they are willing to engage in industrial action, granting the union a mandate for the next 12 months.
Out of 35,067 eligible members, 18,069 participated in the vote, representing a turnout of 51.53%. Of those who voted, 13,695 were in favour of potential strikes. Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, co-chairs of the BMA consultants committee, stated that the vote sends a clear message that consultants are unwilling to accept continued attacks on their professional value and pay, and are prepared to act if necessary.
The BMA maintains that no strikes are inevitable if the government addresses issues such as pay erosion, which they claim has left average pay 26% lower in real terms than 17 years ago. They also noted that the final pay point for a consultant in England is £16,000 lower than that of their counterparts in Wales.
Health and Social Care Secretary James Murray rejected the move, stating there is no justification for strikes. He highlighted that consultants are among the top 2% of earners in the country, with average annual earnings exceeding £152,000 and a 28.5% increase in basic starting pay over the last four years.
Mr Murray urged the BMA to avoid disruptive action, noting that the government is working to modernize contracts and improve job planning, which he argued would be hindered by further strikes.
While consultants would continue to provide emergency and urgent care, a walkout would likely result in the cancellation of a large number of appointments and operations requiring senior staff. Hospital managers face new logistical challenges if the action proceeds, as they must adjust to the loss of senior cover.
Consultants last took strike action between July and October 2023, often coordinating with resident doctors.
In separate developments, a ballot for specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors in England failed to meet the required legal turnout threshold. Only 43% of the cohort, or 2,738 doctors, cast a vote. However, the BMA noted that 90% of those who did vote were in favour of strike action.
Meanwhile, consultants and specialist doctors in Northern Ireland have already been participating in strikes over pay in recent weeks.
Patients have seen hundreds of thousands of appointments cancelled due to industrial action over the past few years.
The NHS in England became quite adept at managing services on strike days and minimising disruption, redeploying senior doctors to cover resident doctors.
