Keir Starmer has criticized resident doctors for rejecting a Government pay offer without consulting their members. The Prime Minister has given the British Medical Association’s resident doctors committee 48 hours to reconsider the proposal, which included a potential pay increase of up to 7.1% this year.
In addition to the salary raise, the deal involved adjustments to pay progression, coverage of Royal College exam costs, and the creation of 4,500 new specialty training positions over three years. The PM warned that 1,000 of these positions, open for application this month, would be lost if the deal is not voted on by Thursday. The BMA claimed that the Government altered the terms of the deal unexpectedly.
Keir Starmer emphasized that rejecting the deal would harm resident doctors by depriving them of enhanced pay, career progress, and support. He urged the BMA to reconsider their decision, highlighting the negative impact on progress, patient wait times, and staff pressure.
The Prime Minister urged the BMA to allow a vote on the offer, cautioning that patients would suffer if the deal is not approved. He encouraged resident doctors to consider the consequences and make a decision within the remaining 48 hours.
A planned walkout by resident doctors scheduled from April 7 to April 13 would mark the 15th strike by these doctors in England since 2023. The union expressed willingness to engage in discussions with the Government to reach a resolution and potentially avert the strikes.
Dr. Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA resident doctors committee, criticized the Government for modifying the pay offer late in the negotiation process, altering the investment amount and timeline unexpectedly.
Furthermore, the BMA announced that senior doctors in England would be balloted for potential industrial action between May 11 and July 6, as both groups of doctors escalate their disputes with the Government.
