BMA NI: consultants to vote on new pay offer
Union says it will encourage members to accept
Last updated 19th Jul 2024
Consultants across Northern Ireland are set to vote on a new pay offer from the Department of Health.
The British Medical Association in Northern Ireland said it would be encouraging members to accept.
The BMA Consultants' Committee, said it had secured the offer "following intense pay talks with the Department of Health."
The vote will run from July 31 to August 21.
Dr David Farren, chair of BMA’s Northern Ireland consultants committee, said: “After an intense negotiation process, we believe we have reached an offer that secures significant improvements in pay for consultants across their careers and is a credible and real step towards pay restoration. We will now put this offer to our members and we are encouraging them to vote yes.
“This pay offer is acknowledgement of hard work and expertise these senior doctors provide. By making consultant pay in Northern Ireland more attractive and competitive, we enhance their recruitment and retention in our health service at a time of chronic workforce shortages across the UK.
“However, this does not mean our efforts towards achieving full pay restoration are over. We will continue to work hard to reverse years of below inflation pay awards and to improve terms and conditions for our members. This includes closely monitoring all future DDRB pay award recommendations and subsequent actions from the Department of Health. The overwhelming mandate in favour of industrial action we received in our ballot* showed the level of frustration among consultants from years of unfair treatment over pay. Going forward, we expect to be treated fairly again with renumeration that reflects our skills and expertise.”
Meanwhile, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, welcomed the BMA's decision to recommend its members accept the offer.
"I very much welcome the decision by the BMA to recommend this pay offer to its members. This is a positive step forward and reflects the commitment and willingness that there has been on both sides to find a solution. I want to thank the BMA’s Northern Ireland Consultants Committee for their work in recent weeks and hope that the offer is now accepted by members.
“Our health service would be nothing without our hard-working workforce and I am committed to doing what I can do support them.”
In a statement, the Department said the offer represented an average uplift of 5.26% on the value of the NI pay scales for consultants.
"If the offer is accepted, the effective date for implementation of this award will be 1 March 2024," it added.
"This is in addition to the pay uplift of 6% for 2023/24 which was settled through the pay review body process and was paid in June 2024. Any further uplifts for 2024/25 which may be recommended by the Review Body on Doctors & Dentists Renumeration will be considered when their report is published."