Senior doctors in England have overwhelmingly backed strike action, the British Medical Association (BMA) has confirmed.
A ballot conducted by the union revealed that 76 per cent of consultants are prepared to walk out. This result provides senior medics with a mandate to stage industrial action over the coming year.
Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, co-chairs of the BMA consultants committee, said: “This is a clear message from consultants in England that they are not willing to tolerate the continued attack on their pay and professional value, and that, if necessary, they are willing to act.
“Consultants are the most senior and expert doctors working in hospitals, but by failing to recognise and support them to be the best clinical leaders, working tirelessly to improve care for patients, we risk losing them.
“The impact this would have on an already struggling NHS would be dire and it is something the public are clearly very concerned about – so why are our politicians not worried too?
“With a new prime minister taking charge in a few weeks’ time, action now to avoid both the exodus of consultants and more industrial action by doctors in England is something that the Government needs at the top of its in-tray.
“No strikes need to take place if the Government addresses these issues, but we now have a mandate that consultants are prepared to use if it does not act.”
According to the BMA, some 35,067 consultants were eligible to vote, and 18,069 took part – a turnout of 51.53 per cent. Almost 14,000 said they would be prepared to take part in strikes.
Consultants in England last walked out between July and October 2023, which included two strikes coordinated with resident doctors.
Meanwhile, a ballot of specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors missed the legal turnout threshold. Some 2,738 SAS doctors voted, a turnout of 42.99 per cent.
However, the BMA said that of those who did take part in the ballot, 90 per cent voted in favour of strikes.
The announcement by the BMA comes after resident doctors in England accepted an offer from the government to put an end to their long-running dispute over pay and jobs.
The online poll ran from 18 to 26 June, with 52 per cent of eligible members voting and a turnout of 57 per cent.
The new package includes standard 2016 resident doctor contract terms for all locally employed medics and an average 6.6 per cent pay uplift to be fully implemented by April 2027.
There will also be 4,500 extra specialty training places over three years.
