Are doctors justified in taking industrial action in defence of their pensions? No

Professor Bion is of course entitled to his opinion, but it is very easy to criticise one’s colleagues for being unprofessional moneygrabbers from the safety of a guaranteed platinum-enhanced pension.

The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine is a young faculty with very many young Fellows not in such a privileged position. As the dean of the FICM Prof Bion should have the decency to have some insight into the fact that the rank and file will be working to age 68 for a far worse, unilaterally imposed, pension, and are annoyed enough about this to consider industrial action. In addition, he would do well to consider whether he would like himself or a member of his family to be looked after on critical care by a doctor in his late 60s.

The current government proposals for reform of the NHS Pension Scheme are an insult to our profession. While noone would argue with appropiate adjustments for demographic changes the suggested measures go far beyond that. The current austerity measures are a result of the financial crisis that has been exclusively created by the high risk marketing strategies in the financial sector. The initially promised regulation of the financial sector ie. introduction of a capital transaction tax etc. has not happened. While 6-figure boni that equate to 10 times the annual wage of a NHS-Consultant are again paid out for doubtful achievements in the private sector this government has now decided to raid the pensions of the public sector.

Industrial action needs to make sure that emergency services are properly staffed and maintained so that noone is coming to harm. There are also other vital non-emergency services for example palliative care, oncology, COTE and many more, where vulnerable patients need to be protected. However there is clearly no harm if a patient has for example his/her Varicose Vein Surgery postponed because of industrial action. There are also many doctors, who are not members of the BMA and therefore not entitled to engage in industrial action, who will maintain a core service anyway. If we do nothing this is an invitation to target our pensions again when the next hole in the budget needs to be plugged.

Terms and conditions are agreed by both parties at the time of employment. Any party requiring more is per the contract of employment at liberty to terminate the contract lawfully and seek alternative employer or employee. Once employed on certain terms and conditions, the formation of a group with co-workers or co-professionals to use pressure tactics such as denying work for a certain time period or forcing workload on the employer or employee by any of the parties constitutes breach of the employment contract.

If any government, whether democratic or undemocratic, allows such a breach of employment contract by the employee or employer it is not acting lawfully. For any grievance, either party is free to knock on the door of the civil courts instead of causing grievous injuries to a third party who are citizens of the land. It is surprising if high paid groups incline to disorder in a nation with the reputation of England and in the name of democracy.