'If there is a will, there will be a way' to provide pay award, says BMA

Manx doctors here have seen real terms pay cut of 29 percent since 2008

The local negotiating committee chair for the British Medical Association says 'if there is a will, there will be a way' to find money for a pay award for Manx doctors.

Last night (22 October), the British Medical Association announced that doctors employed by Manx Care on the Isle of Man are to ballot for industrial action.

The BMA says it is asking for a 12.6 percent uplift in pay for the 23/24 financial year.

This will be the first time doctors here have been balloted for industrial action - with the BMA saying that the majority of doctors working on the Isle of Man have experienced real terms pay cuts since 2008.

It says that since then, 'inflation on the island has increased by 56.3 percent while the maximum consultant’s salary increased by just 27.3 percent over the same period - a real terms cut of 29 percent'.

And that whilst 'scores of other doctors across the UK have successfully negotiated pay deals, doctors on the Isle of Man risk being left behind, as they are not eligible for the pay increases that other consultants, residents and SAS doctors have achieved'.

Dr Prakash Thiagarajan told Manx Radio no doctor really wants to go on strike:

WHAT NEXT?

The BMA will announce the dates of the ballot in the next few weeks. 

On the Island, 155 doctors will be able to vote in the ballot, including residents, consultants, and salaried GPs.

A small group of doctors - specialty trainee doctors who work on the island but are employed by the North-West lead employer, and partner GPs - will not be eligible. 

Once that ballot has been completed if there is a majority vote, then doctors will be eligible to take industrial action.

MANX CARE

Manx Care's Chief Executive Teresa Cope responded to this story on Manx Radio's Breakfast programme this morning (23 October).

And you can listen to the full interview with Dr Thiagarajan on Manx Newscast: