The NHS Strikes Back
Written by Rhys Davies
On Wednesday November 30th, two million (according to their unions) public sector workers went on strike to protest the government’s planned changes to their pensions. The changes include workers paying more into their pensions, retiring later, and only receiving a ‘career average,’ effectively reducing how much they will be paid. If the amendments go ahead as intended, a junior doctor can expect to pay in the region of £200 000 over their working life. These were the biggest strikes for a generation. The last time the nation witnessed strikes of this scale was back in 1979.
The NHS is the one of the largest employers in the world and, for the time being, is still very much a part of the public sector. Ultimately, the BMA decided not to strike but some hospital services were affected. Nearly a quarter of all elective operations were cancelled and many nurses, ambulance staff, radiographers, porters and cleaners joined the picket lines. Hospital chiropodists also walked out but their absence was less noticeable.
The strikes that took place in London and across the country were in response to proposed changes to most public sector pension schemes. The NHS pension scheme that doctors pay into was not included in these changes. However, they are subject to a different set of changes that are equally unpopular with the physicians on the ward. These changes still include the unpopular ‘career average’ pay-out.
In response to these changes, at their annual conference in Cardiff back in June, the BMA voted overwhelmingly in favour of a referendum on whether doctors should strike. As a result of this, they will ballot their 140 000 members on their views on all forms of industrial actions including the extreme decision of striking. Doctors see no need to reform their pensions as currently the NHS pension scheme comes in under-budget annually, providing £2 billion surplus for the government. Many students may not have noted the recent strikes if, depending on their lecturers, their day carried on as normal. However, this is an issue that students should be concerned about. As the future workforce of the NHS, they will likely be affected by the changes first. With many personal pensions paying out more for less, the government-required pension is effectively a tax on the public sector. Medical students have already proven themselves keenly interested in the political machinations about them with the massive protests over tuition fee rises last year.
These changes may not affect them quite so immediately or directly but they are still important. Doctors cannot in conscience abandon their patients in times of protest. However, a cynical government could use this aspect of the caring profession against them, and strong-arm doctors’ leaders into unfair deals knowing that they have no threat of action to fall back on. Furthermore, strike action by doctors could lose them the trust of their patients and the wider public. This would be tragic as polls consistently place doctors as the most trusted profession. Whether or not it is ethical for doctors to strike, medical students must step in to support to their seniors and tutors.
2011 has proven itself to be a busy year for public demonstrations and protesting in Tahrir Square on January 25th. The wave of disenchantment with the ruling powers spread to Spain with protestors taking up residence in the Puerta del Sol from the 15th May. All summer, Greece has seen protests and riots in response to its government’s handling of their national debt. This autumn has been marked with Occupy movements camping out in the financial districts of the world’s largest cities. Closest to home, the Occupy St. Paul’s movement has been protesting in the City of London for 48 days, at the time of writing. The strikes on November 30th mark the latest chapter in the book on discontent with the UK government’s increasingly unpopular policies. We have already seen the dramatic student protests this time last year over the rise in university tuition fees. The government responded to this by doing what it always does, which is nothing at all.
Earlier this year, thousands of people came out in force on the streets to defend the NHS from the proposed reforms of Health Minister Andrew Lansley. In response to this, the government convening a ‘listening period’ during which they did nothing.
It is all very well protesting for what we believe in; universal, affordable higher education, free, equal healthcare for all and decent treatment of our workers and pensioners. However, these demonstrations will have limited effect on a government that persistently proved itself deaf to all criticism.
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