Demoralised doctors in Wales considering industrial action for the first time

Demoralised doctors in Wales are considering taking strike action for the first time.

In a recent survey of hospital doctors by BMA Cymru, 63 per cent of respondents indicated that they would be willing to take some form of industrial action up to and including strike action over their current pay and conditions.

The survey – which ran for the first two weeks in December – featured responses from doctors working in every health board in Wales.

The questions were designed to gauge members’ views on the latest below inflation (4.5 per cent) pay award from Welsh Government.

Its findings come just days after nurses and ambulance staff across Wales took part in historic industrial action over pay and working conditions.

The BMA survey also revealed that 78 per cent of respondents felt that a pay rise that matched or exceeded inflation was needed to reflect their current contribution.

The BMA’s Chair of Welsh Council, Dr Iona Collins, said: “This survey result is upsetting to all, including the doctors who took part.

“Doctors are healthcare professionals who invest most of their lives to care for others.

“They care passionately about their jobs and take their vocations seriously. It’s gut-wrenching for doctors to consider walking away from work, when doctors know that they are so desperately needed in the workplace.

“Doctors have been quietly quitting the NHS for years, by reducing their contracted hours or leaving altogether.

“The financial incentive to remain in the NHS has eroded over the last decade.

“Furthermore, a change in NHS pension taxation has seen senior doctors who have worked overtime in good faith punished for propping up the NHS by paying more than the overtime pay back as pension tax.

“No other healthcare system devalues their doctors like this, so there is little wonder that so many doctors leave the NHS to work elsewhere.

“Patient waiting lists are at record high levels and the NHS workforce predicament is affecting healthcare colleagues across the board.

“Without action now, patients will continue to suffer as a direct consequence of an under-funded NHS with insufficient direct clinical care.

“On that basis we hope the Welsh Government will now finally wake up to the crisis in the medical workforce and take serious action, starting with better pay awards as part of an urgently required plan to address years of pay erosion.

Dr Collins has written to Health Minister Eluned Morgan to inform her of the results of the survey and to seek an urgent meeting to discuss the need for immediate action.

Members of the BMA’s branch of practice committees will now discuss the survey results and decide the next steps.