Consultants in England have voted in favour of potential NHS strike action in a dispute centred on pay and pensions, giving senior doctors a mandate for industrial action over the next 12 months.
A ballot conducted by the British Medical Association (BMA) found that 76% of participating consultants supported the possibility of strikes if negotiations with the government fail to address their concerns.
The vote comes after resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, accepted a pay agreement that ended three years of industrial action.
NHS strikes in recent years have led to the cancellation of hundreds of thousands of patient appointments across England.
The BMA said industrial action could still be avoided if ministers address issues including what it describes as continuing “pay erosion”, which the union says is also affecting doctors’ pensions.
Of the 35,067 eligible members, 18,069 took part in the ballot, representing a turnout of 51.53%. A total of 13,695 consultants voted in favour of possible strike action.
Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, co-chairs of the BMA consultants committee, said: “This is a clear message from consultants in England that they are not willing to tolerate the continued attack on their pay and professional value, and that, if necessary, they are willing to act.”
Health and Social Care Secretary James Murray argued there was “no justification” for further industrial action, pointing to recent pay increases.
“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 said.
Murray added: “Consultants are an invaluable part of the NHS workforce, and we have been working closely with them to improve job planning and modernise their contracts.”
“I urge the BMA and all consultants not to rush into another cycle of unnecessary and disruptive industrial action.”
The BMA maintains that consultants’ average earnings remain around 26% lower in real terms than they were 17 years ago, and says the highest consultant pay grade in England is £16,000 below the equivalent level in Wales.
Consultants in England last took strike action between July and October 2023, including two walkouts coordinated with resident doctors.
Meanwhile, specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors in England failed to meet the legal turnout threshold required for industrial action, despite strong support among those who voted.
The BMA said 90% of participating SAS doctors backed strike action, although turnout reached only 43%.