THE British Medical Association yesterday criticised NHS employers for refusing to enter into talks over the loss of hospital accommodation support.
From August 2008, junior doctors will no longer be entitled to free hospital accommodation in their first year after leaving medical school.
This policy change, which will cost many an estimated £4,800 per annum, comes at a time when medical students are already facing average graduation fees of £20,000 and many face fees of £35,000.
At a meeting with the BMA yesterday, NHS Employers refused to open meaningful talks about how junior doctors could be helped to cope with the financial impact of this decision.
The BMA has written to the government, asking for ministers to intervene and has organised a series of peaceful protests outside teaching hospitals.
Further action is planned for later in the summer.
Mr Ram Moorthy, chairman of the BMA’s junior doctors committee, said: ‘It’s a disgrace that NHS employers will not even talk to the BMA about the ramifications of ending free hospital accommodation support for first year junior doctors.’
He said that adding to student debt levels ‘could make medicine an increasingly unattractive career path, especially for those from lower socio-economic groups.
‘Since NHS Employers has refused to help junior doctors next year, or address the fall-out for future generations, the BMA will continue to press forcefully through all means possible to get this decision changed.’
At the BMA’s Annual Representative Meeting in Edinburgh, delegates unanimously passed motion 141 stating that ‘this meeting is appalled that the doctors’ and dentists’ Review Body have failed to recommend a pay uplift to compensate Foundation Year One doctors for the unilateral removal of free accommodation.’
The motion also states that the meeting is ‘disgusted that NHS Employers have refused to negotiate with the Junior Doctors Committee on this matter.’
Moving the motion, Matthew Forbes of the medical students committee, said: ‘Having graduated from Sheffield, I am moving to start work in a central London teaching hospital.
‘In the past this would come with a guarantee that the hospital I would be working for would provide me with free accommodation.
‘It’s an important support which would not only provide me with a roof over my head, but I would be living in a community with other junior doctors who would be there for encouragement when times got tough.
‘If starting work and moving house were not enough sources of anxiety, I am also in debt, £35,000 to be exact.’
He added: ‘In August, if I choose to move into the hospital, I will have to pay £7,200 after tax.
‘With my debts of £35,000, I am going to struggle badly to pay for living costs as well as service this debt.’
He pointed out that the free accommodation was used by the doctors’ and dentists’ Review Body as ‘a justification for keeping the pay for newly-qualified doctors artificially low.
‘It therefore stands to reason that the loss of accommodation should signal a compensatory pay rise, or at least some form of package of compensation.’
He said the BMA had calculated that the loss of accommodation is equivalent to ‘a £4,800 pay cut. It is equivalent to 20 per cent of a doctor’s starting salary.’
He stressed: ‘This unilateral removal of hospital accommodation for Foundation Year One doctors without compensation or proper consultation is disgraceful, inequitable and unacceptable.’
