Doctors accept pay offer ending strike threat

Doctors on the Isle of Man have accepted a revised pay offer from Manx Care, bringing to an end a dispute over pay that saw a union plan strike action.

Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) had been due to stage a 48-hour walkout last week, which was postponed after the latest 8% offer was put forward.

A total of 125 of the 167 doctors eligible to vote took part in the poll, with 91% backing the deal.

Manx Care said the deal ended the "protracted pay negotiations" and had been made possible through additional funding from the Department of Health and Social Care.

Doctors had originally asked for a 12.6% uplift, which the healthcare provider previously said was "unaffordable".

Under the terms of the deal, doctors have been awarded an 8% rise backdated to 1 April 2023 to cover the last financial year.

For the current pay year the award has been split into two, with a 6% rise backdated to April 2024 and another 2% applied from 1 February.

Base salaries for doctors on the island would also be matched to the same level as their counterparts working for the NHS in England.

The BMA previously said the offer was a "first step" towards pay restoration for its members, who had had their salaries eroded by up to 19% in some cases over several years.

Local negotiation committee member Prakash Thiagarajan said the planned industrial action had been a "last resort" and he was "glad we were able to successfully negotiate this outcome".

Chairman of the BMA council Phil Banfield said the deal "puts Isle of Man doctors on track to begin restoring their lost pay".

"Improving the lives of doctors is paramount and this deal demonstrates a commitment to valuing their skills and expertise," he added.

The pay award comes as Manx Care faces an overspend of more than £16m in the current financial year.

In a statement, Manx Care said: "It is now vitally important that we reset our relationship with the BMA and move forward with a number of other critically important pieces of work which secure the sustainability of health and care services for the Island moving forward."

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