JUNIOR doctors in Scotland are to strike over three days in July after members of the BMA trade union rejected the Government's pay offer.
BMA Scotland’s junior doctor committee has confirmed three days of strike action will take place from July 12 to 15 unless they receive an improved offer that "could credibly be put to members".
The BMA argues that inflation - based on the RPI measure - means that junior doctors are now earning 28.5% less in real terms than they were in 2008.
Strike action would see thousands of planned procedures and outpatient appointments postponed.
EXPLAINER: Why are junior doctors in Scotland going on strike
The results of the consultative vote saw 71.1 per cent vote to reject the offer. The turnout was 66.3%.
In May, doctors-in-training were offered a 14.5% uplift over two years, matching the recent pay award for nurses and other NHS workers in Scotland.
They were also promised talks on potential changes to the system of pay review in future.
BMA Scotland put the offer to its members with no recommendation on whether to accept or reject the deal.
Dr Chris Smith, chair of the BMA’s Scottish Junior Doctor Committee, said it was right to set out the dates for a full withdrawal of labour but stressed that industrial action can still be avoided.
If it goes ahead, it will be the first time doctors in Scotland have gone on strike over pay.
Junior doctors in England have already staged walkouts twice this year.
The BMA is now in the process of seeking an urgent meeting with Cabinet Secretary for Health Michael Matheson – and hope one can be agreed later this week.
READ MORE: Junior doctors in Scotland offered 14.5 per cent uplift
Dr Smith said: “Our membership has once again spoken decisively and clearly. It is beyond doubt that they do not consider this offer sufficient to begin the process of addressing the pay erosion we have suffered since 2008 – when pay for a junior doctor was some 28.5% higher.
“That is why today, we can confirm that we are now forced to act on the incredibly strong mandate given to us by members in our preceding strike ballot and announce a full withdrawal of labour for three days from Wednesday July 12th."
READ MORE: Junior doctors pay ask 'simply unaffordable'
Dr Smith said the Government must come forward with a package "to safeguard doctors from further pay erosion in the future".
He added: "It needs to be sufficiently improved that we could again consult our members. I hope to meet Michael Matheson urgently to explore how we take that process forward.
“This should demonstrate that all junior doctors in Scotland are asking for is a viable path to righting the historical wrong of pay erosion to keep the doctors we need for the future in our health service, for the good of the NHS and patients.
"Today’s result shows that this offer does not do enough to start that journey.
“Under that offer, pay erosion would still have been a staggering 26.5% over the last 15 years when our jobs have become more challenging, more complex and are being done in an NHS which is under greater pressure than ever.
"Surely no-one truly believes that a junior doctor today is worth so much less than they were in 2008?”
First Minister Humza Yousaf - previously the health secretary - said the Government would continue to engage with the BMA.
He said: "My time as health secretary remember, of course, we didn't lose a single day of winter to NHS strikes which is very different to every other part of the UK.
"Now, of course, we will continue to engage with junior doctors, they have said themselves there has been meaningful engagement with Scottish Government."
Health Secretary Michael Matheson declined to comment when the result was put to him by journalists.
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