Commenting on the news that BMA Cymru Wales is set to ballot secondary care doctors on industrial action after negotiations over pay with the Labour Government broke down last month, following the BMA rejecting the Labour Government’s latest below-inflation pay offer for consultants, junior doctors and SAS doctors of just 5% for the 2023/24 financial year, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister, Russell George MS said:
“I am disheartened by the news that the Labour Government which has run our health service for 25 years, have been unable to at least match the UK Conservative Government’s pay offer for doctors to end this dispute, given that for every £1 spent on health in England, Wales receives £1.20.
“This is all whilst Iona Collins, the BMA Cymru Council Chair, called the pay offer the ‘worst offer in the UK’, and has consequently led to the BMA set to ballot secondary care doctors on industrial action.
“Labour need to seriously look at their costly vanity projects such as sending more politicians to Cardiff Bay and introducing blanket 20mph speed limits, and prioritise our Welsh NHS instead.”