The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association is holding a consultative ballot of its members for their views following the government’s decision to ignore the Doctors and Dentists Pay Review Body (DDRB) recommendation to award a 1% pay increase to all NHS staff.
During the next three weeks, members will be asked whether they would be prepared to take industrial action. The ballot will be open until 18 August 2014.
The results of this ballot will inform the course of action the union will take over the coming months.
The HCSA has always respected the independence of the DDRB and its recommendations on pay. Whilst this 1% award is well below the current cost of living and comes on the back of several years of pay decline for doctors, this was their independent recommendation. The DDRB take evidence and soundings for many months leading up to the publication of the recommendations and the expectation of the public and the profession is that they should be implemented.
The Government rejected the DDRB’s proposals saying that honoring and implementing a 1% pay award for doctors would risk reductions in front line staff that could lead to unsafe patient care. The HCSA categorically reject this suggestion.
HCSA General Secretary, Eddie Saville commented:
“After five years of pay restraint, with morale at rock bottom, our members are frustrated and angry at what they see happening around them. A national health service, by its very nature, has the ability to recruit and train the brightest and best workforce. The responsibility to retain and improve this workforce extends to giving a fair deal on pay – and not simply brushing aside the recommendations of the independent pay review panels.
Our NHS Staff deserve to be valued, respected, and properly rewarded for their dedication, hard work and excellence.”
Related background documents:
The following links contain background information on the pay consultation and HCSA's view. If you have any questions that are not answered through these links please do get in touch via 01256 771777.