A senior medic has said failing to deliver pay deals for health workers in Northern Ireland would be “an utter disaster.”
Dr David Farren, chair of the BMA’s Northern Ireland Consultant Committee, was responding after the health minister Mike Nesbitt said he was unable to match pay deals across the UK.
Following an Executive meeting on Monday, Mr Nesbitt refused to endorse an extra £350m for the Department of Health as he said it still left him £100m short of the funds he would need to make pay awards of 5.5% to all staff.
It was part of an extra £630m in day to day spending for Northern Ireland following the UK Government’s budget last month.
Dr Farren commented: “After working so hard this year to prevent (industrial action) from healthcare staff, this would be an utter disaster.
“This winter will be challenging enough already, not paying staff their worth would just be rubbing salt in the wounds.”
After working so hard this year to prevent IA from healthcare staff, this would be an utter disaster. This winter will be challenging enough already, not paying staff their worth would just be rubbing salt in the wounds. @mikenesbittni @CArchibald_SF @BMA_NI @AlanStout19 https://t.co/9JDLQRCpvB
— David Farren (@David_Farren) November 11, 2024
Speaking after Monday’s meeting, Mr Nesbitt said he was “incredibly reluctant” to even consider overspending, meaning that difficult negotiations with health unions was likely.
Even with health trusts making “unprecedented savings” of £200m in the current financial year, Mr Nesbitt said there was still a £450m funding gap – including £130m of compulsory spending (now reduced to £100m with the latest funding boost) and the £320m recommended to meet pay awards.
He said the Executive would need to collectively decide to balance the books and, as a result, not maintain pay parity.
Speaking to UNISON health workers at Stormont yesterday @DannyDonnelly1 said:
— Alliance Party (@allianceparty) November 8, 2024
“It’s unacceptable that workers who are so essential to the running of our health service remain waiting for their well-deserved pay uplift in-line with their colleagues in the rest of the UK. [🧵] pic.twitter.com/13ML0A0Li9
It follows multiple strikes earlier this year from health and social care workers across Northern Ireland.
Last week, members of the Unison union protested at Stormont over the ongoing delays and said further industrial action was “inevitable” without a credible pay increase.
Representing over 27,000 health workers, Unison called it “appalling” that six months into the financial year, there was still no sign of pay parity, and that workers felt “disrespected and undervalued.”
They added: “A derogatory pay offer or no pay offer will lead to a widespread challenge from health workers and pressure will be heaped upon the NI Executive. This means that transformation plans will be severely disrupted and inevitably industrial action will follow.”
