BMA Consultants at their Annual Conference yesterday made it clear they were determined to fight for their pensions.
The tone was set by the Consultants Committee Chairman Dr Mark Potter, when he said that an ‘obstinate government’ has forced senior doctors into conflict (see page 2).
Conference voted unanimously for motion 5, from the northern Ireland Consultants’ Committee, which stated: ‘This conference believes doctors’ pensions are worth fighting for and calls on doctors to stand up for their employment rights.’
Speaking in support, Dr Atef El-Kholy warned: ‘We face the disintegration of health services. Under the Health Bill the NHS will be disintegrated.
‘Under this disintegration private companies will come in and they won’t honour existing pensions.
‘I wonder if these two issues are linked.’
Dr Stephen Austin, from Belfast, told conference: ‘Consultants are central to the success of the NHS.
‘They are the leaders of the NHS. We work hard and we should be rewarded. Just because we are doctors we shouldn’t take assault after assault.
‘We must stand up for our rights and take on the government over our pensions.’
Dr Ian McNab, from Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, stressed: ‘This is really a breach of the covenant between consultants and government.’
Dr Keith Brent, from East Sussex, said: ‘The NHS pension scheme is successful. It is doctors who make it sustainable.
‘The government just wants money from your pocket. For junior doctors this is shattering. They might have to work into their mid-seventies and lose their final salary scheme.
‘This breaks our agreement with the state.’
Dr David Shipstone, from Chesterfield, said: ‘I urge everyone to do more than support this motion. We have to spread the message. If we don’t stand together now perhaps our pensions won’t be worth standing for.’
Conference also voted overwhelmingly for motion 20, which warned that if the pension age for doctors is increased to 68 ‘large numbers of current junior doctors and medical students will be unable to obtain employment in the UK and be forced to emigrate, leading to a “brain drain” from the UK.’
Mover Darrell Lowry, from Craigavon Area Hospital, warned: ‘If these new pensions proposals go through I’ll be working to 68.
‘Working to 68 will have a big impact on students. There won’t be jobs for them while they wait for others to retire.’
Dr John Hyslop, from Royal Cornwall Hospitals, said: ‘This motion doesn’t go far enough, it’s a statement. I want to see action. I want to see the BMA speaking for the profession and acting upon it.’
He concluded: ‘The BMA should stand up for us. Fight for our profession.’
The conference went on to vote down a motion calling for performance related pay and in favour of a motion to oppose the introduction of local contracts of employment and to defend national terms and conditions.
