Into the abyss - NHS Consultants have voted for strike action

I think this is shameful and I do hope the government will not cave in to their demands.
How much are the consultants demanding? 35% like the junior doctors?
If they all started at a more reasonable figure, then the government might take them seriously and resume negotiations.

DHSS suggests average salary of £128k a year for consultants - and asking for 35 percent so want around £200k ? Plus pension. Don’t know if this is without fees for private patients.
Are consultants going to be on the picket lines outside Nhs hospitals on strike days or seeing private patients in their consulting rooms? Going rate is upwards of £250 per appointment. Not too sure if that’s for 15 minutes or longer.
This group obviously isn’t buying into Rishi Sunak’s 5 point plan. I hope registrars can bridge the gap in care for 2 days in July.

Blackmail.

karmalady

Shocking and very greedy behaviour by the consultants

How is it greedy to want to not make less than you did a few years ago, especially when you are likely doing more work now?

If the govt actually supported the medical field, this wouldn’t be an issue.

Well maybe this government will listen to the consultants as they are not listening to anyone else. I am watching helplessly as my children are being chewed up by the meat grinder that our health and social care services have become. Both have life changing illness as a result, one had to go private for an accurate diagnosis and treatment, the other had to give up work, sell their home and move 900 miles away for proper care and support. Both are still soldiering on trying to help people in the sector.. They are not in the groups that are striking but have struggled with chronic shortage of staff in general and the consequences of underfunding by the Conservatives which has resulted in underhand, dog eat dog practice in competition for scarce funding.

Shocking.

My concern is that people will inevitably die as a consequence of this action. Consultants carry out the most complex and urgent operations, facilitate the births of the most difficult to deliver babies, prescribe care for the most psychotic of patients etc. etc. They have acted down for junior doctors, other clinical staff have covered the role of nurses, but there isn’t anybody else who can cover the expertise the consultants have in their fields. It’s unprecedented.

Indeed. I suspect this is to try to twist the government’s arm over the huge increase demanded by the junior doctors.

At least the nurses won’t be striking …

Shocking and very greedy behaviour by the consultants

I find it worrying that the government are forcing people to pay for private medicine, if they can, rather than pay medical staff what they are worth.
The Tories are not supporters of the NHS.

Yes Casdon it is very serious especially if like my Husband you have had Consultant appointments cancelled because of the Junior Doctor's strikes. This also impacts on his anticipated operation having gone from a 12 months to an 18 months wait. Really bad news if you are in constant pain or have serious health conditions. We are seriously thinking of going privately as his health is deteriorating.