Health Minister says he has ‘done all he can’ for junior doctors ahead of strike

Northern Ireland’s health minister Robin Swann has insisted his department has “done all it can” around pay for junior doctors on the eve of the first of two planned 48-hour walkouts.

Junior doctors in the region took strike action for the first time in March, staging a 24-hour walkout that affected hospitals and GP surgeries.

Their union, BMA Northern Ireland, has called for a commitment to a full pay restoration to 2008 levels, claiming that junior doctors have seen their salaries effectively eroded by 30% over the last 15 years due to a failure to make pay awards in line with inflation.

It has contended that newly qualified medics in Northern Ireland see colleagues working elsewhere in the UK and in other jurisdictions getting better pay and conditions for less pressurised workloads, and warned doctors are leaving the health service in increasing numbers.

SDLP MLA Colin McGrath pressed Mr Swann during Assembly questions for the health portfolio on whether his department and the Executive have done “everything they can to prevent this strike”.

Responding, Mr Swann said he feels his department has done everything it can in terms of the financial limits it is under.

Mr Swann has previously contended that his department’s budget allocation will demand “drastic” cuts and potentially cause “irreparable” damage to the health service.

Earlier this month, Mr Swann voted against the spending plan and has refused to rule out resigning if the budget is approved by the Assembly in its current form.

On Tuesday, Mr Swann told MLAs that he had met with the BMA’s Northern Ireland Junior Doctor Committee that morning.

“I met with the junior doctors this morning and made that very clear in regards to the challenges where they are coming forward for additional pay asks, that I don’t have the financial capability to currently do that,” he told MLAs.

Mr Swann said he will continue to engage with the junior doctors, adding they had had a good conversation earlier that day.

“I think it was about recognition in regards to where I recognise the strains and the stresses that they’re under, the remit that have to seek further pay settlements in regards to this industrial action but that they also acknowledge the challenging position that I am currently in with the public budget allocation.

“We will continue to engage at all levels in regards to that.”

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll urged the Executive to stump up for the pay award for the junior doctors.

“Junior doctors workers should not be forced to take strike action. They’d rather be treating patients,” he said.

“Junior doctors in the North have had their pay eroded by 30.7% since 2008. Not only are they paid less than their NHS counterparts, but they’re paid less than many more across the world.

“Long hours, crippling working conditions, and pay that is barely above minimum wages is the norm. Like all health workers, junior doctors are overworked, undervalued, and they need to be given a real pay rise if our NHS is to survive.

“If this Executive did care then the money would be found in short order.”