Senior doctors earning more than £152,000 a year are poised to strike after three-quarters of those who voted backed industrial action, demanding an immediate 11% pay rise and a 35-hour working week. The British Medical Association (BMA) argues that consultants' pay has fallen by 26% in real terms since 2008, and they seek parity with colleagues in Wales.
The strike mandate, which lasts for 12 months under Labour’s Employment Rights Act—up from six months previously—allows consultants to call strikes with just 10 days’ notice. Health Secretary James Murray, who recently settled a long-running dispute with resident doctors by agreeing to pay rises that will see the highest-paid earn over £100,000 a year, has urged the BMA not to rush into disruptive action.
Consultants’ demands and government response
Consultants, who are among the top 2% of earners in the UK, have demanded an immediate £16,000 pay rise and a reduction in working hours. Murray stated: “Consultants are some of the highest paid public sector staff and among the top 2% of earners in the country. After a 28.5% increase in basic starting pay over the last four years and with the average consultant now earning over £152,000 a year, there is simply no justification for strikes that will cause disruption to patients and the NHS.” He urged consultants to work with the government to improve working lives instead of striking.
The BMA, however, claims that real-terms pay cuts since 2008 have eroded consultants’ earnings, and the union has secured a mandate for strike action over the next 12 months. The previous round of industrial action by consultants, which included two strikes coordinated with resident doctors, saw them walk out for nine days between July and October 2023. A deal worth up to £20,000 per year was agreed in April 2024 after those strikes.
Impact on patients and the NHS
The spectre of strikes hangs over the NHS, with patients likely to bear the brunt of any disruption. The government’s capitulation to the BMA in the resident doctors’ dispute, which saw 16 rounds of strikes totalling 65 days over three years, has emboldened consultants. Under that deal, starting salaries for resident doctors rose from £38,831 to £41,226, and the highest-paid resident doctors can now earn over £100,000 a year, with pay rises twice a year during training and reimbursement for exam and membership fees.
Critics argue that Labour’s weak stance has created a “striker’s charter,” rewarding idleness over hard work. With approximately 4 million workers represented by 11 trade unions affiliated with the Labour Party, there are fears that further public sector pay demands will follow, placing an unaffordable burden on taxpayers.
Political fallout and future implications
James Murray’s words have been dismissed as meaningless after he acquiesced to the BMA over resident doctors. The Health Secretary now faces the challenge of preventing further strikes while managing public finances. The BMA’s militant approach, according to critics, exists to cause chaos in care, and the government’s surrender has only encouraged more demands. As the threat of strikes looms, patients and hard-working taxpayers are left feeling sick to the stomach.
