unior medical doctors north of the border are “standing up for the future of the NHS” by voting for strike motion, the chairman of BMA Scotland has stated.
The union has confirmed that three days of strike motion will happen on July 12-15 except an improved provide is made, after members rejected the newest pay provide.
The Scottish Government supplied a 14.5% pay improve over two years however BMA Scotland stated it was rejected by 71.1% of those that voted on a 66.3% turnout.
Dr Chris Smith, chairman of the union’s Scottish junior physician committee, stated an improved provide could be a “down payment on the future of the NHS” to verify it stays an efficient well being service.
We are standing up for the way forward for the NHS, the way forward for our career by taking this absolute resort of strike motion
Dr Smith stated that medical doctors recognise there can be disruption and that strike motion is an “absolute last resort”.
He stated that consultants and specialty medical doctors can be masking the work of junior medical doctors.
Dr Smith instructed BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “We do recognise that appointments will be cancelled, and operations will be cancelled and that’s why we’ve called on the Government to come back with a better offer to avoid this if we can but, if not, junior doctors are clear – we are standing up for the future of the NHS, the future of our profession by taking this absolute resort of strike action.”
Dr Smith stated that junior medical doctors are the “backbone of the NHS” and that a greater provide is required to deal with years of pay erosion.
Commenting on the Scottish Government provide, he stated: “Since 2008 we’ve had a real terms pay cut of 28.5% so this didn’t even come close to bringing us back to where we were 15 years ago.
“Over the two years that would have entrenched the pay erosion that we’ve seen, and that pay erosion is partly responsible for doctors leaving the NHS in their droves.
“Our pay has been cut by 28.5%, we’re just asking to be brought back to where we were.
“We’re not asking for a pay rise we just want to be back to what we were in 2008 when we think the NHS was working better and there were more doctors.”
He added: “It’s my job to go back to the Government to say we need a better offer and if we don’t get a better offer from you there will be strike action from July 12.
“The ball is firmly in the Government’s court to come back with a better offer and we can work together to avoid the strikes if we can.”
Asked what his message to Health Secretary Michael Matheson could be, Dr Smith stated: “My direct message to the health secretary is please come back to the table with an improved offer, an improved offer that goes above inflation.
“An improved offer that goes above inflation and links our pay above inflation so that we don’t get back into this hole, we need to dig ourselves out of the hole of pay erosion that is causing so many doctors to leave the NHS.”
On Tuesday, Mr Matheson stated he was “disappointed” with the rejection, including that strikes are “in no one’s interest”.
“I respect the outcome of the ballot. We negotiated in good faith, addressing concerns from junior doctors but this was only the start of the journey, not the end,” Mr Matheson stated.
“This was the biggest investment in junior doctor pay for the last 20 years and a step forward to modernising pay-bargaining, restoring confidence amongst junior doctors and ensuring that their contribution to our healthcare system is appropriately recognised.”
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