BMA says delays in doctors' pay award is affecting recruitment in NI

Delays in the implementation of pay awards for doctors in Northern Ireland is affecting recruitment, the chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) in NI has said.

Doctors in England, Scotland and Wales were awarded a 2.8% increase on Tuesday.

The BMA has urged the health minister to give doctors a pay uplift.

Delays to the pay awards process for doctors and dentists in NI have been criticised in a official report.

The Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) report, published on Tuesday, said "delays to the pay award process in Northern Ireland continue to be unacceptable".

It said the award for 2018-19 was made in November 2019 and the 2019-20 financial year's pay award has still not been implemented.

Dr Tom Black said doctors in Northern Ireland have also had a 30% reduction in pay over the past 10 years, compared to doctors in the rest of the UK.

"We understand we're well paid, but if you have that big a reduction in pay, it does affect recruitment and retention of doctors and we have a problem with that in Northern Ireland," he said.

"It doesn't bode well when you think of how hard the doctors work."

Dr Black said that doctors have seen a 30% reduction in comparative pay

Dr Black added that "doctors are supposed to work hard, but doctors are also supposed to be paid a reasonable wage for their job".

He said to maintain recruitment and to get doctors into hospitals in the west of Northern Ireland and the southern area "you need to retain the increments and you need to implement the pay awards in a timely manner which the other three countries are doing".

On Tuesday, the Department of Health said Robin Swann is keen to see this year's pay award "resolved more quickly than has been the case in recent years".

The BMA said a pay uplift for doctors would be a "timely decision" from health minister Robin Swann

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: "The minister wants those on the health and social care frontline in NI to be properly rewarded for their work and commitment.

"Decisions on public sector pay awards are taken in the context of the annual public sector pay policy set by the Department of Finance."

A Department of Finance spokesperson said that while NI departments provide evidence to the pay review bodies, there is a local discretion by executive ministers as to the application of their recommendations.

"This will also be considered in the context of local pay policy."