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NEWS BLOG: Pensions industrial action

Thursday 28 June  Commenting ahead of today's meeting of the BMA Council, Dean Royles, the director of the NHS Employers organisation, said: "As the BMA Council meets, I ask that they really put patients at the centre of their decision making and avoid further industrial action.

"The doctors' strike has pulled NHS patients into a dispute not of their making and no one wants to see that happen again.

"Whatever the rights and wrongs of the dispute, patients are definitely not to blame. I hope that the BMA Council will reflect carefully and it will be at least another 40 years before the NHS sees further industrial action."

Thursday 21 June  Read our day of action live blog here

Thursday 14 June

 

Wednesday 13 June

NHS North West London becomes the fist PCT Cluster to show evidence of threatening GPs with contractual sanctions if they take industrial action on 21 June.

Read the letter from the PCT Cluster's chief executive Anne Rainsbury to 422 practices.

Read our pensions special on industrial action for everything you need to know about the day of action.

Tuesday 12 June

The industry is split over industrial action.

A Pulse survey has found that 37% of practices had already ruled out taking action, while almost one in five had yet to decide.

Read our editorial to find out the punch-line to this joke: ‘Doctor, doctor, why is my GP going on strike?'...

Friday 8 June

A YouGov poll finds that the majority of public oppose industrial action.

Comments in the Pulse forum also reflect this sentiment with Dr Prasad stating: 'It is disgraceful that doctors have voted to strike, a profession with one of the best pensions in this country - it is uncaring, selfish and greedy! My practice will not be taking part in the strike action.'

Twitter is also awash with GPs commenting on their decisions about taking action:

 

 

Monday 4 June

 

Friday 1 June

The Daily Mail is reporting that 'thousands of doctors "will defy" the order to strike', focusing on GPs opposed to industrial action. Read the full story here.

Thursday 31 May

The BMa has taken out an ad in the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and The Sun in the form of a letter explaining to the public the reasons behind taking industrial action over pension. Click here to view the letter.

BMA decision over pensions industrial action makes quite a few of the front pages of the newspapers this morning, although the Daily Mail went with a surprise choice of a story on alcohol intake. Click here to look at all the front pages.

Wednesday 30 May

Pulse editor Richard Hoey - in his last blog for PulseToday - says the BMA needs to be far 'more media savvy than it proved this morning, when allowing stories of 17% turnout to circulate across some parts of the media.' Click here to read the full blog.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley on doctors' industrial action: ‘I don't think the public will remotely understand'. Click here to read a round-up of all the reaction from today.

The BMA has announced doctors will take industrial action for the first time since 1975 next month, in protest at the Government's pension reforms. Click here for the full story

Wednesday 23 May

Results from Pulse's pensions ballot survey reveal that 63% of GPs said they would vote Yes to industrial action short of a full strike, compared with 56% who were in favour when it was first announced in April. But only 58% of nearly 250 respondents said they would personally join the BMA's proposed day of action, reflecting concerns among many GP partners in particular over workload and contractual issues.

Meanwhile, at the LMCs Conference in Liverpool, Dr Fay Wilson urges GPs to vote 'Yes/Yes' in the upcoming ballot saying 'It's time to stand up and be counted'.

 

Tuesday 15 May The Labour Party say they will support the proposed industrial action as long as measures are taken to prevent it damaging patient care

Friday 11 May The BMA release a briefing paper setting out their position on the proposed changes to the NHS Pension Scheme, and the BMA ballot on industrial action which opens on Monday 14 May

Thursday 10 May On Monday, doctors will be balloted on industrial action for the first time since 1975. How will you vote? Take part in our survey.

Wednesday 9 May Take a look at a sample ballot paper for the BMA's upcoming industrial action over pensions ballot

Tuesday 8 May First BMA pensions roadshows take place across the country. Pulse goes to BMA house in London.

(See more videos interviews from the roadshow).

BMA leaders admit that industrial action could ‘strain' relationships with patients, but say they are working hard to prevent any ‘horrible incident' that could provoke a negative media backlash.