DOCTORS across Scotland will be balloted on industrial action for the first time in almost 40 years this week in a row over UK Government pension reforms.
Although strike action was ruled out in February, alternatives such as a work-to-rule could be imposed if doctors vote in favour of the action, resulting in major disruption to NHS services.
All non-urgent and outpatient appointments could be cancelled over a 24-hour period, while thousands of GP practices will open only to deal with emergencies.
The BMA will begin balloting its members across the UK tomorrow and everyone from GPs and consultants to junior doctors will be asked to vote on action for the first time since 1975.
Writing exclusively in The Herald today, Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said the move was testament to the anger felt by medics fighting against "totally unreasonable" proposals to up their retirement age from 65 to 68 and increase pension contributions to 14.5% of salary for senior NHS staff within three years.
He said: "On any reasonable test, the current coalition government proposals are blatantly unfair.
"Its direction that public sector employee contributions should rise by 6% over the next three years is entirely independent of where each employee group started.
"So, some groups paying as little as 1.5% will see contributions rise to about 7.5 % of salary, whilst senior NHS workers on the same income will have to pay up to 14.5%."
Doctors claim that previous changes to the NHS pension scheme have already ensured that it is "affordable and sustainable for the future".
There has also been frustration among Scots doctors who believe Scotland's Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has been left with little option as any decision to vary contributions north of the Border would be paid for in deductions from the Scottish block grant.
Ms Sturgeon has already made it clear that she will not take money from frontline services to cover a pensions shortfall.
Dr Keighley added that doctors are eager to hammer home their message to Westminster without compromising patient care.
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