Senior doctors in England could refuse overtime over 1% pay rise

[Northerner]

Senior doctors in England may refuse to do overtime if the government does not improve a 1% pay offer.

The threat of industrial action comes after the Royal College of Nursing already said it would consider balloting for industrial action over a pay offer that NHS staff have described as a “slap in the face”.

The British Medical Association (BMA) is to ask members about halting paid and unpaid overtime if the pay offer is not closer to 4%.

Dr Vishal Sharma, the deputy chair of the BMA consultants committee, said “Consultants are absolutely burned out and experiencing high levels of fatigue and stress at the moment – and this is on the back of consultants having the worst pay erosion of any group.

Senior doctors in England could refuse overtime over 1% pay rise

Threat of industrial action by ‘underappreciated’ consultants follows similar threat by nurses

www.theguardian.com

Using a freeze on all public sector pay as an excuse is just ridiculous - there shouldn't be a public sector pay freeze! We know now that austerity was a political, not an economic decision, but it seems they are committed to doing it again The government has apparently lost around £26bn to fraud during the course of the pandemic, maybe if they were actually more careful with taxpayers' money then they could pay for the things that matter.

 

[ukjohn]

It will not affect me if my Doctor goes on strike, I can' book to see him anyway 😱

 

[pm133]

Sadly, it's not really much of a surprise to see senior doctors (some of the highest paid public servants in the country) jump on the bandwagon of trying to exploit the pandemic for personal gain after watching the nurses asking for 12.5%.

No doubt it'll be the police and the fire brigades next.

It's all very depressingly predictable.

Makes you seriously question whether anyone has any sort of moral code at all.

 

[trophywench]

Same here with our GP John - but can't complain about my diabetes consultant and it's consultants they're on about. My OH was commenting the other day that when the newly appointed Min of Health was Chancellor of the Exchequer - he recalls him starving the NHS of money. The trouble is - none of the Government has ever been a doctor - so if a factory has a backlog of orders, just work a bit of overtime and solve it - why on earth can that not work the same for healthcare ?

 

[mikeyB]

A 1%pay rise isn’t a pay rise, it’s a pay cut. Inflation is running at 1.5%.

And TW, junior doctors often work overtime. The difference between them and a factory worker is that they don’t get paid for it.

 

[trophywench]

Ah well, see - if all NHS employees sang from the same hymnsheet, maybe their choral offerings might be met with more success? Until they actually decide they should be A Team and all support one another in their endeavours, seriously what hope is there? Don't even have the same Union!

Yes of course I know why.........

 

[AndBreathe]

Same here with our GP John - but can't complain about my diabetes consultant and it's consultants they're on about. My OH was commenting the other day that when the newly appointed Min of Health was Chancellor of the Exchequer - he recalls him starving the NHS of money. The trouble is - none of the Government has ever been a doctor - so if a factory has a backlog of orders, just work a bit of overtime and solve it - why on earth can that not work the same for healthcare ?

Our local MP is Dr Luke Evans, who is a former GP, married to a GP. Of course, as newly elected at the last elecation, he isn't in government, but there are several medics in the House.

 

[AndBreathe]

A 1%pay rise isn’t a pay rise, it’s a pay cut. Inflation is running at 1.5%.

And TW, junior doctors often work overtime. The difference between them and a factory worker is that they don’t get paid for it.

I think it is also noteworthy that in Theatreland, where they are working VERY long hours, attempting to catch up on the waiting lists that developed over recent months, overtime is being paid at rates UNDER the normal hourly base rate. The reality is those members of staff are working their days for their salary, then working extra hours for less money.

Overtime is an interesting concept when some salaries are already significant, but for junior staff it's just diabolical!