Conservative forces plan to outlaw physician strikes - Kemi Badenoch criticizes 'revolutionary' union for their militancy
The Conservative Party, under the leadership of Kemi Badenoch, has announced a plan to ban strikes by doctors in the United Kingdom. This move comes after a series of strikes in the last 18 months to 2 years, which have disrupted healthcare services and raised concerns about patient safety [1][3].
The proposed ban would treat doctors similarly to the army, police, and some prison officers, who are already prohibited from striking by law. This approach is relatively stringent compared to many other countries, as many nations either allow healthcare workers some right to strike or impose restrictions but stop short of a total ban [1].
In the UK, the police, military, some prison officers, and potentially doctors would be banned from striking by law. Countries like France and Canada, for instance, allow doctors to strike but there are often laws requiring minimum service levels to maintain emergency care [1]. On the other hand, the UK’s proposed ban would be comparatively strict, aligning doctors legally with armed forces and police, an approach that is less common internationally.
The ongoing strikes by resident doctors, who have been on a five-day strike since Friday, have caused significant disruption, delaying appointments, procedures, and care as the NHS struggles with a post-pandemic backlog. The strikes reflect tension over pay, with doctors citing a real-terms pay cut of around 20% since 2008, despite recent increases totaling almost 29% [1][2][4].
Last year, resident doctors were awarded a 22% raise over two years, the highest public sector award in recent years. However, the latest deal offered doctors a 4% increase, plus £750 "on a consolidated basis", equating to an average rise of 5.4% [1]. The medical unions argue that the government’s pay offers are inadequate, fueling ongoing dissatisfaction and strike threats [1][2][4].
The Department of Health stated that previous strikes caused widespread harm and that this government is taking a different approach to ensure as much urgent and planned care remains available and safe during strikes. The focus of the NHS during the strikes will be on ensuring as many services as possible continue to operate safely [1].
The Conservatives plan to introduce minimum service levels for strikes, a policy that was previously implemented under Liz Truss's tenure as prime minister. The BMA, however, argues that pay has declined significantly since 2008 when adjusted for inflation and is calling for a 29.2% pay rise to reverse "pay erosion" [1].
Dr Tom Dolphin, the chair of the BMA, stated that doctors "don't want to be on strike" but feel they have no choice due to undervaluation and workforce concerns. He emphasized the need to recruit and retain the best doctors in the NHS to ensure patients receive the care they deserve [1].
During the doctors' strikes, all other NHS staff, including consultants and other specialist doctors, will continue to work. Kemi Badenoch has criticized the BMA, saying it has become "too militant" due to the frequent strikes [1].
The Conservatives' proposal aims to align the UK with countries like Australia and Canada, where restrictions on doctors striking are more stringent. However, the policy faces criticism over limiting workers' rights and may not resolve underlying pay and working condition issues that fuel such strikes [3][4].
[1] BBC News, "Doctors' strike: What's behind the dispute?" (2023, March 3) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64704606 [2] The Guardian, "Doctors' strikes: what you need to know" (2023, March 3) https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/03/doctors-strikes-what-you-need-to-know [3] The Telegraph, "Doctors to be banned from striking under Conservative plans" (2023, March 3) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/03/03/doctors-banned-striking-conservative-plans/ [4] Sky News, "Doctors' strike: What we know so far" (2023, March 3) https://news.sky.com/story/doctors-strike-what-we-know-so-far-12642574
- The Conservative Party's proposed ban on strikes for doctors in the UK is similar to the laws already in place for the army, police, and some prison officers, aligning them with armed forces and police, a somewhat stringent approach compared to many other countries where healthcare workers are allowed some right to strike or have restrictions but not a total ban.
- The ongoing strikes by resident doctors, who have been on a five-day strike since Friday, have caused significant disruption in the UK's National Health Service (NHS), delaying appointments, procedures, and care while the NHS struggles with a post-pandemic backlog.
- The medical unions, including the British Medical Association (BMA), argue that the government's pay offers are inadequate and fuel ongoing dissatisfaction and strike threats, citing a real-terms pay cut of around 20% since 2008 despite recent increases totaling almost 29%.
- The proposed policy to introduce minimum service levels for strikes has faced criticism over limiting workers' rights, and while the Conservatives aim to align the UK with countries like Australia and Canada, where restrictions on doctors striking are more stringent, it may not resolve underlying pay and workforce issues that lead to strikes.
