Junior doctors in England are set to stage four days of strike action – leading to confusion on whether junior doctors in Scotland are also taking part in industrial action.
In their coverage, various media outlets have discussed the impact that this will have on Britain’s health services – however, Scotland is not affected by this strike action.
One man, whose close friend was waiting on an urgent scan and was “apprehensive” due to the doctors’ strike in England, said that: “It can be very difficult to find articles which actually say that NHS Scotland will operate normally this week”.
Why aren’t Junior Doctors Striking in Scotland?
While no immediate action is planned, junior doctors in Scotland are currently voting on strike action amid a pay dispute with the Scottish Government.
The strike action ballet will run for just over five weeks, and close on 5 May.
Members will decide whether or not to stage a 72-hour walkout.
The British Medical association (BMA) Scotland stated that junior doctors had faced a real-terms pay cut of 23.5% since 2008.
The organisation also said the current pay uplift of 4.5% would be outstripped by inflation and that they fear pay erosion will be “even worse” by the end of the year.
The Scottish Government said the pay demands were “simply unaffordable” unless cuts were made to the NHS and other public services.
Dr Chris Smith – committee chairman of the BMA Scottish junior doctors – said some junior doctors in Scotland were earning a basic salary that equalled roughly £14 an hour.
Meanwhile, junior doctors in England are calling for a 35% pay rise – after the BMA said that previous below-inflation wage increases had caused a recruitment crisis.
A survey by the BMA of junior doctors in Scotland found more than 40% are “actively researching” leaving the NHS – while almost 80% expect to have to take on a second job this year to help pay their bills.
Source: The National
