NHS consultants in England will call off two days of hugely disruptive strike action in hospitals if they are offered the same inflation plus pay deal made to junior doctors in Scotland, the Observer can reveal.
In a significant move that puts further pressure on ministers before strikes by junior doctors and consultants south of the border in the coming days, a senior British Medical Association figure said that a 12.4% offer – and commitment to reform the annual pay review process – would be enough to halt the consultant strikes, which are set to take place on 20 and 21 July.
Dr Mike Henley, deputy chair of the BMA’s consultants’ committee, told the Observer: “If the Westminster government offers the same to consultants in England as the junior doctors have been offered in Scotland as well as reforms to the pay review body, we would call off the strikes and put the offer to our members.”
Last night government sources indicated that while movement from the BMA was welcome regarding consultants’ strikes, ministers would only agree to talk once action had been called off, and not before.
The BMA has said that the action by consultants in England – the first in almost 50 years – will lead to elective and non-emergency work being cancelled, pushing hospital waiting lists to even higher levels. It said the strikes will not affect emergency care. Before the consultants are due to strike, junior doctors in England will be taking action from 7am on 13 July to 7am on 18 July.
The offer to call off action by consultants follows a decision on Friday by BMA Scotland to suspend strike action by junior doctors planned for next week and put an improved 12.4% offer for 2023/24 to its members, with a recommendation to accept the deal.
The package offered to junior doctors also includes a guarantee from the Scottish government that doctors’ pay will increase at least in line with inflation over the next three financial years. It replaces the previous pay offer of 14.5% over two years.
The junior doctors in Scotland were due to stage a three-day walkout from 12 to 15 July, causing thousands of planned operations and outpatient appointments to be cancelled.
More than 24,000 consultants in England voted last month in the BMA’s ballot, with 20,741 (86%) voting to strike on a turnout of 71%, securing a large mandate for stoppages far above the 50% legal requirement.
The BMA consultants’ committee urged members to vote in favour of strike action after talks with ministers about restituting pay levels, which have declined in real terms by 35% since 2008-09, broke down. It also wants changes to the pay review system to restore its independence from government.
The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association president, Dr Naru Narayanan, said that strikes by senior doctors were unprecedented and used to be considered “unthinkable”.
The latest Opinium poll for the Observer shows support for strikes by junior doctors remains high while backing for senior doctors is lower.
About 55% say they back action by junior doctors against 36% who oppose it. This compares with 41% who back action by consultants and 48% who oppose it. Support for teachers going on strike stands at 48%, against 43% who oppose it.
