Pay and BMA Surveys

The BMA does not have the best track record with surveys, or their response to them. We have been accused in the past of subjecting our members to death-by-survey, and of hiding results, or ignoring them where they are not convenient. It is difficult to know what is true without being on the inside.

Now, however, we have great need for a survey. At the Annual Representative Meeting, the BMA was instructed to 'identify actions to reflect the feeling of the profession' on pay.

When the government made the pay 'award' last week, the need to survey our members and their willingness to take action became even more apparent.

In order to do this well, we need to explain the effects of prolonged pay restraint and the current offer, then suggest actions and ask if members would be willing to take that action.

We also need to show some leadership - by educating our members, who have had a slow-acting pay cut of around 20% over recent years. To add insult to injury, the latest pay cut offer is less than half of its apparent value. All doctors will lose out due to inflation, and the lack of backdating makes us suffer more. This year’s NHS staff survey has laid bare the realities of working life for doctors in the NHS, as detailed in the latest report of the Review Body of Doctors and Dentists Remuneration (DDRB):• 80% of medical staff report regularly working unpaid extra hours• 60% of doctors don’t feel they have enough time to do their job properly• 30% of medics report their work is making them sick

We should say that we were disappointed by the DDRB recommended rises of 2% to doctors’ pay, which was wholly insufficient to address pay erosion across all doctor groups. Our confidence in the DDRB's continued independence and utility has been shattered. We are further dismayed that the government has - in bad faith - gone further and halved the DDRBs miserable recommendation. The situation is untenable. We need to officially assess what our members are willing to do about it.

The survey sent via email to members this evening to has failed to do that. Only asking questions that are already asked via the NHS Staff Survey and we already know the answers to. It is embarrassing that the BMA feels the need to ask members if they are angry. As this survey was not run past elected Council representatives before it was sent, we have been left out of the strategic planning of the BMA's response to another real terms pay cut.  We are demanding better, perhaps with a further survey, but definitely with a clear call for genuine action in response to the DDRB and Government failings.Here are the kind of questions we would like to be asking you now:

 Would you:

• write to your MP asking them to support the DDRB recommendation?

• want the BMA to disengage from the DDRB and negotiate directly with government?

• take action short of a strike - working to contract, refusing overtime and refusing to fill rota gaps? For how long?

• take action short of a strike - refusing to collaborate with coding practices to damage the financial flow of the hospital without affecting patient care? For how long?

• take half-day or late-start strike action? For how long?

• take strike action to end elective treatment? For how long?

• take strike action to bank holiday cover? For how long?

• take all-out strike action for just your Branch of Practice (allowing other BoPs to cover)? For how long?

• take 'rolling' strike action where your branch of practice takes strike action one day, and another branch of practice does the next day, and another the next day and so on? For how long?

• take all-out strike action alongside other branches of practice? For how long?

We recommend members fill out the survey and use the free text comment box to tell the BMA what action you would be willing to take. Lobby Council members and branch of practice reps for a determined response to the pay offer.Email us at broadleft[at]doctorsbroadsheet.org  if you'd like to get more involved in our campaign.