Doctors on the Isle of Man will be asked to vote on industrial action next week, the British Medical Association has confirmed.
The ballot opens June 12 and runs until July 2. It follows a period of severe strain at Noble’s Hospital, which moved to Operational Pressures Escalation Level Four last month, the highest alert level used when services are under extreme pressure.
The vote also comes during a period of leadership change at Manx Care. Chair Wendy Reid is due to step down this summer, shortly after Chief Executive Teresa Cope announced her departure in May.
Pay Dispute Returns
Doctors employed by Manx Care are seeking a 7.9% pay rise for the 25/26 year. The BMA says that since 2008, RPI has risen 112%, while doctors’ pay has increased 51%, leaving a 29% real‑terms cut.
Industrial action was narrowly avoided last year when doctors accepted a revised pay deal, but the BMA warned at the time that further action was likely if progress on pay restoration stalled.
Findings from the Culture of Care Barometer Survey, published in February, show:
- Fewer than one in four doctors would recommend Manx Care as a place to work
- Only a quarter feel they have the resources needed to do their job well
- Just over a third say they have enough time to care for patients safely
‘Doctors have been undervalued for far too long’
Chair of the Isle of Man Medical Society, Dr Prakash Thiagarajan said: “Doctors on the Isle of Man deserve to be paid fairly for the work they do, and the pay cuts we have faced over the last decade are unfair and untenable.
“No doctor wants to go on strike, but without an acceptable offer from Manx Care, this is a very real possibility. Manx Care can prevent any strikes by addressing the severe real terms pay cuts that Isle of Man doctors have endured.”
Deputy chair of council Dr Emma Runswick said: “Isle of Man doctors have been undervalued for far too long. As a result of organising in the BMA and the threat of strike action last year, doctors won a significant step towards reversing real terms pay cuts, but the fight for fair pay is not over. Manx doctors in the BMA, like on mainland, stand ready to fight for recognition of their skills and expertise.”
