Senior doctors in England are to be balloted over the prospect of strikes, the British Medical Association has announced.
The union said that simultaneous ballots of consultants and specialist, associate specialist and speciality (SAS) doctors would run from 11 May to 6 July as both sets of medics escalate their disputes with the government.
It said this followed a lack of progress in talks and an “inadequate” pay award.
Last week the government announced that doctors would get a 3.5% pay rise after agreeing a recommendation from the pay review body. At the time, the union described the pay award as a “crushing blow” to doctors.
The BMA consultants’ committee co-chairs, Dr Shanu Datta and Dr Helen Neary, said in a statement: “Over recent months, we have been in discussions with government but made clear that without action to reverse a persistent devaluing of the profession, consultants would be forced to seriously consider taking industrial action once again.
“Unfortunately, as these discussions have gone on we have not seen anything like enough progress to give consultants any confidence that their concerns are being taken seriously.
“Nor that the government is committed to keeping the most senior and expert doctors working here and ensuring their expertise is there for patients and the public for years to come.”
The BMA SAS committee chair, Dr Ujjwala Mohite, said: “Alongside pay erosion, SAS doctors face barriers to career development and lack of opportunities that recognise their skills and value they bring to hospitals and patients.
“Despite making clear that we were no longer taking this lying down and that our members are prepared to act, we’ve seen far too little progress from the government in talks, and now ministers and the DDRB have wasted another opportunity to address pay erosion.
“So, with our consultant colleagues, we are forced to take this fight to the next stage.”
The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
