Junior doctor strike: Swann questions merit of industrial action

Health Minister Robin Swann has questioned the merit of a planned strike by junior doctors but called resolving a pay dispute a "priority".

Junior doctors in Northern Ireland have voted in favour of strike action.

A 24-hour walkout by junior doctors is planned from 6 to 7 March.

In a letter to the British Medical Association (BMA) on Tuesday, Mr Swann said "frustration should not spill into industrial action that cannot achieve anything of substance".

"As someone with a track record of valuing and supporting health service staff, I must question the merit of the industrial action planned for next month," the minister said in his letter.

He said the planned strike action will "impact heavily on patients" at a time when "the executive is starting the important work of stabilising public services".

In his letter to the BMA Junior Doctors Committee, Mr Swann reiterated that he was committed to further detailed engagement over pay, contract reform and other issues of importance.

BBC News NI has approached the BMA for comment.

Previously, the BMA said it was "extremely disappointed" after engaging in pay talks last week with Department of Health officials in Northern Ireland.

The organisation has said junior doctors' salaries in Northern Ireland fell by 30% over the past 15 years.

A newly qualified doctor in NI earns £26,000 per year.

Junior doctors in England have already staged strike action in their dispute over pay.

Mr Swann said he has asked his department to immediately implement a pay review body's recommendations for 2023/24 pay "for all doctors employed in health and social care".

He said this package will bring an average pay increase of 9.1% in 23/24 for junior doctors, with those in their first year receiving a 10.7% uplift.

"This pay uplift will compare very favourably to other parts of the public sector and will bring junior doctor basic pay above the level in Wale, and closer to the level in England," the minister added.

He said this award will be backdated and payable from April 2023.

"This pay uplift will compare very favourably to other parts of the public sector and will bring junior doctor basic pay above the level in Wales, and closer to the level in England," he added.

Mr Swann acknowledged £550.6m of funding allocated by the Northern Ireland Executive last week to help address public sector pay demands for the Department of Health.

However, he said implementing recommendations from independent pay review bodies to mirror 2023/24 pay settlements in England would be "at the very limit of what can be afforded at this point".

"While I fully understand the anger of junior doctors who have seen pay not keep pace with inflation in recent years, it is not realistic to expect this issue to be resolved by the executive and assembly at this point in time," he said.

Mr Swann said his department has committed to further negotiations when there was "greater clarity on any final settlement in the ongoing junior doctors dispute in England".