Doctors Slam Pay Deal But Nurses Happy

Northern Ireland's doctors are angry about what they claim is a below inflation pay award - and one that the medics claim will be an effective pay cut for many practitioners.

While nurses are welcoming their pay offer, Dr Brian Patterson, Chairman of the BMA's NI Council, said their pay deal is very concerning for the medical profession and disappointing in the extreme for thousands of doctors here.

Dr Patterson said: "The pay award of 2.2% is unacceptable and the Government needs to take full cognisance of the medical profession's dismay and exasperation at what, for another year running, is its failure to recognise and reward the hard work and dedication of Northern Ireland's doctors.

"If de-motivation of the medical workforce is the aim then it's going the right way about achieving it.

"Indeed for those junior doctors who have lost their entitlement to free hospital accommodation it will mean losing £400 per month - a pay cut of 20%.

"How on earth can young doctors, especially from backgrounds where personal finance is an uphill struggle, be motivated to stay within medicine?" he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Brian Dunn, Chairman of the BMA's GPs Committee in NI, said: "The salary award for GPs this year means that although some will receive a small increase in the resources necessary to run their practices, many will receive nothing at all - yet again."

The leading doctor has refuted a claim that GP practices will have an increase in their global sum of 2.7% and - taking account of the cost of expenses - equating to a 2.2% increase in earnings.

"This is not so," he insisted. "The average increase in resources for GP practices is estimated to be 0.2%, with most practices getting nothing and only around 10% getting up to 2.7%.

"Indeed the BMA is seriously concerned that the recommendations accepted by Government are not legally deliverable under current regulations and have written to UK Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, to this effect."

Meanwhile, nursing representatives have welcomed their 8% pay increase for Northern Ireland health care staff.

The salary of nurses, midwives and other skilled staff will rise steadily over the next three years and the total increase will amount to 7.99%.

Mary Hinds from the Royal College of Nurses in Northern Ireland said: "The RCN believes this deal can allow nurses to focus on what matters most - delivering high quality patient care, safe in the knowledge that they have some degree of security over their household finances in the coming years."

(BMcC)