Northern Ireland doctors stage 24-hour strike over pay
Doctors in Northern Ireland held a 24-hour strike, claiming their wages have fallen 20% since 2008.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Doctors in Northern Ireland have staged a 24-hour strike, the second walkout in five days, in a dispute over pay. The British Medical Association (BMA) said wages for doctors in the region have fallen by 20% in real terms since 2008.
The strike, which began at 7am and will run until the same time on Tuesday, involves resident doctors who are generally at an earlier stage in their career. On Thursday, consultants and specialist doctors took separate industrial action over the same issue.
The BMA balloted its members after an independent pay review body recommended a 3.5% pay rise for this financial year. The union said that was not credible progress towards restoring wages to the levels of 18 years ago. It also warned that doctors are leaving Northern Ireland to work elsewhere because they can earn more in other parts of the UK.
Northern Ireland's Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, said he remains committed to implementing this year's pay award but is unable to do so until a budget is agreed. He argued that the proposed rise for doctors is already higher than the increase offered to other NHS workers. Nesbitt added that if doctors were to receive more than the recommended 3.5%, it would have repercussions for the entire public sector workforce and would need to be considered by all ministers in the power-sharing devolved government, not just him.
Health trusts across Northern Ireland have advised patients with scheduled appointments to attend as normal unless they have been specifically contacted to say their appointment is postponed. Emergency and critical care services are not being affected by the strike.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Doctors' pay has decreased by 20% since 2008. | |
| The BMA said the recommended 3.5% pay rise was not credible progress. | |
| The Health Minister said the proposed rise for doctors is more than for other NHS workers. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel focused on the political and logistical dimensions of the strike, giving airtime to the Health Minister's position and the practical impact on patients. The tone was neutral and factual, with the correspondent explaining the context of the dispute and the constraints on the minister.
- “The doctor's union said that wasn't credible progress towards restoring wages to the levels of 18 years ago.”
- “The Northern Ireland Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has said The proposed rise for doctors is more than for other NHS workers.”
- “If doctors were to get more than that recommended 3.5% It would have repercussions for the entire public sector workforce.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.