She added that taking industrial action as the NHS prepares for winter would be “irresponsible”.
asserted
NHS → add → winter
Emergency cover will continue during the strike, similar to how hospitals are staffed on Christmas day.
asserted
hospitals → continue → day
Consultants in England last went on strike in 2023 but have been in dispute with the Government since last year.
asserted
Consultants → go → year
The planned walkout comes after members of the BMA voted in favour of a mandate for industrial action in July.
asserted
members → plan → July
Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, co-chairs of the BMA’s consultants committee, said: “As the most senior and skilled doctors in the NHS, consultants not only provide frontline, life-saving care, but they are central to running and designing services, training and supervising the future workforce, and ensuring patients get the best treatment possible.
asserted
patients → say → treatment
“Solving the pressures facing the health service will be impossible without valuing and retaining these doctors.
asserted
Solving → solve → doctors
Yet the Government is failing to recognise this, ignoring our concerns around consultants’ wellbeing and workload, and pushing them further away from the NHS.
asserted
Government → fail → NHS
“And as the much-lauded progress on waiting lists in England stalls, the Government is also telling consultants they deserve another pay cut.”
asserted
they → laud → cut
The committee has been in talks with the Government regarding measures to tackle burnout and keep consultants in the NHS.
asserted
committee → regard → NHS
This includes more protected time to focus on teaching the next generation of medics, cutting standard hours to bring consultants in line with other NHS staff and better recognition for the most demanding out-of-hours work.
asserted
This → include → work
The BMA claims that consultant pay in Ireland can be as much as double that in England.
uncertain
pay → claim → England
The announcement comes a week after the Government recommended a 2.4% pay rise for doctors for the 2027/28 financial year in evidence submitted to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration.
asserted
Government → come → Remuneration
The committee co-chairs added: “Since we entered into dispute over 18 months ago we have engaged in good faith with the Government, proposing practical solutions, but time and time again ministers have kicked the can down the road.
asserted
ministers → add → road
Unfortunately, that road has now run out and we have been forced to announce strikes.
asserted
we → run → strikes
“Consultants take their responsibilities incredibly seriously, and striking does not come naturally, but we are hearing loud and clear from the profession that they have had enough.
asserted
they → take → enough
“Not only is our pay still a quarter down in real terms on what it was 17 years ago, having fallen more steeply than the rest of the economy, but we are also not being given time to dedicate our all to the NHS and patients, with quality and improvement being traded for the treadmill of target-chasing, driving colleagues to burnout through excessive workloads.
asserted
quality → fall → workloads
“The Government has four weeks to avoid any action taking place.
asserted
Government → have → place
We look forward to hearing from the Secretary of State on areas that we can work on together to prevent these strikes, end the dispute and restore the role of the consultant in the NHS so that patients can benefit from the best clinical leaders long into the future.”
asserted
patients → look → future
Ms Cooper said: “The Government is working with staff across the NHS to prepare for winter, improve care for patients and make our health service better for the whole workforce.
asserted
service → say → workforce
“NHS England and the department have been in constructive discussions with the BMA, so it is very disappointing to see the BMA committee choosing this response rather than continuing with that dialogue.
asserted
committee → see → dialogue
“With colleagues across the NHS, I am determined to support staff and patients through the tough winter period.
asserted
I → support → period
“I hope the BMA will stay united with us in that effort, and not take irresponsible action that would place our health service under even greater pressure at this crucial time.”
asserted
that → hope → time
The Aporia
