Senior medical doctors lastly agree to finish strike distress after caving in on pay row | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Consultants in England are to convey an finish to their unprecedentedly lengthy interval of strikes after accepting a pay enhance of practically 20%.

Senior medical doctors who’re members of the BMA overwhelmingly backed the revised pay supply, with 83% of members supporting an finish to the strikes.

Consultants already pocketed a 6% pay rise in April 2023, earlier than being provided an additional 5% on common on the finish of final 12 months.

A brand new supply contains a further 2.85% for these 4 to seven years into their advisor careers, and can be backdated to March 2024.

The new deal means some senior medical doctors will get pleasure from an enormous 20% pay rise.

Consultants may also be eligible for a separate pay rise for the 2024-25 monetary 12 months.

BMA consultants committee chair Dr Vishal Sharma mentioned: “We’ve reached this point not just through our tough negotiations with the Government, but thanks to the resolve of consultants, who took the difficult decision to strike, and did so safely and effectively, on multiple occasions, sending a clear message that they would not back down.”

He added: “But the struggle just isn’t but over. This is just the tip of the start, and now we have some technique to go earlier than the pay consultants have misplaced during the last 15 years has been restored.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mentioned: “The end of consultant strike action in the NHS is excellent news for patients”.

“It will mean we can continue making progress towards our goal of cutting the waiting lists, which have now fallen for the fourth month in a row.

“Consultants perform a vital role at the heart of the NHS – I’m pleased they’ve accepted this deal, which is fair for them and fair for the taxpayer.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins mentioned: “I hugely value the work of NHS consultants and I am pleased that, after weeks of negotiations, they have accepted this fair and reasonable offer, putting an end to the threat of further strike action”.

“Consultants will now be able to focus on providing the highest quality care for patients and we can consolidate our progress on waiting lists – which have fallen for the past four months.

“This deal directly addresses gender pay issues in the NHS and enhances consultants’ parental leave options – representing a fair deal for consultants, patients, and taxpayers.”

While right this moment’s information can be a aid to NHS sufferers sick of disruption, junior medical doctors stay in dispute with the Government.

Junior medical doctors are demanding a pay rise value as much as 35% a 12 months, with the BMA chairman promising that their struggle with the Government “is not yet over”.

Dr Sharma mentioned: “This is only the end of the beginning, and we have some way to go before the pay consultants have lost over the last 15 years has been restored.”

More than 40 days have now been misplaced to medical doctors’ strikes during the last 12 months, resulting in 1.4 million cancelled appointments.

It’s additionally harming Rishi Sunak’s mission to get NHS ready lists down earlier than the General Election.