HOSPITAL consultants in England are set to take industrial action next month over a dispute over pay.

More than 24,000 members of the British Medical Association (BMA) backed industrial action by 86% on a turnout of 71%, well above the legal threshold of 50%.

The BMA said that unless the government makes a “credible offer” which can be put to its members, they will take part in industrial action on July 20 and 21 – just days after junior doctors in England are due to strike for five days over pay.

The BMA said take-home pay for consultants in England has fallen by 35% since 2008/2009.

The consultants’ industrial action will take the form of Christmas Day cover, meaning that most routine and elective services will be cancelled but full emergency cover will remain in place.

The BMA said it announced its planned dates for industrial action six weeks before the potential action so that consultants and their colleagues were able to put in early plans to manage patient lists and prioritise urgent patient care in the event of a successful ballot.

Dr Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair, said: “We know consultants don’t take the decision around industrial action lightly, but this vote shows how furious they are at being repeatedly devalued by Government. Consultants are not worth a third less than we were 15 years ago and have had enough.

“Consultants don’t want to have to take industrial action, but have been left with no option in the face of a Government that continues to cut our pay year after year.”

Dr Sharma added that the strikers are “simply asking for fairness” when it comes to pay.

It comes just hours after the threat of more strikes by nurses ended because a ballot on further industrial action failed to meet the legal threshold.

The Royal College of Nursing said 84% of its members who voted backed more strikes.

Dr Sharma added: “Consultants are the NHS’s most experienced, highly-skilled clinicians, and are responsible not just for providing specialist care to patients, but also leading entire services and training the doctors of the future.

“The Government can and must fix consultant pay now and for the future. Failure to do so will lead consultants to leave the NHS and the country, or towards retirement before their time.

“The loss of this expertise would be devastating for services, patients and the future of the NHS.”

News of the consultants’ ballot result emerged just hours after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosted health chiefs in Downing Street to discuss the NHS workforce plan, due to be published later this week.

Representatives from NHS England, NHS Providers and the royal colleges, including the RCN’s Pat Cullen, were among those who attended the meeting.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said it was a “positive meeting” but issues around pay were not covered during the talks.

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “Trust leaders, staff and patients are dreading industrial action by consultants next month hard on the heels of a five-day strike by junior doctors.

“We understand how strongly doctors feel – the high turnout in the consultants’ vote shows just how strongly – and why they are striking.

“The urgency can’t be overstated. Trust leaders want the Government and unions to sit down, facilitated by a third party, if necessary, to find a way to end strikes.”