I am writing to update General Practice colleagues following the decision by the BMA Resident (formerly Junior) Doctors Committee to call strike action. This will (assuming there are no last minute changes) occur between 06:59 am on Friday 14th November until 06:59 am Wednesday 19th November.
GP Registrars are Resident Doctors and are included within strike action: this represents a full walk out and therefore, unless an agreed derogation is in place, which will not apply to General Practice, no work will be undertaken during this strike period by striking doctors.
Resident Doctors are not required to tell their employers whether they are striking or not. This means practices should prepare rotas assuming that GP registrars will not be present, if they are due to work, during this period. If your Registrar states they will not be striking, then practices can roster in the normal way, as Registrars should not, professionally, say they will work, knowing they will be rostered, and then not do so, as this would disrupt pateint care. If GP registrars say they do not know, they should not be rostered.
GP Registrars are a supernumerary workforce from a contractual perspective, although obviously have an important role in delivering patient care within practices. Registrars can be asked if there are any follow-up appointments that should be rescheduled, or covered by other colleagues.
The BMA has advised that any educational elements of a GP Registrar’s rota should not be cancelled or rescheduled if they fall during the period of Industrial action; this includes educational supervision or Half-Day release teaching. Registrars may choose to attend these activities during the strike period.
Resident doctors, as with other employees, can only lawfully picket outside their place of work, but the BMA does not encourage GP Registrars to picket outside their practice. Instead, GP Registrars can join “protest lines” outside their local hospitals if they wish. There is additional guidance for GP Registrars within the BMA guidance covering less common scenarios, including pre-arranged leave, sick leave and maternity leave. This link is available at:
Resident doctors guide to industrial action in England
Employees who strike are not entitled to be paid, this is a matter for the employer, but NHS England have advised a sum equivalent to 1/365th of annual salary can be deducted
for each day of strike action. This does not apply to days when the GP is not working, because of pre-arranged leave, sickness, or because this represented a non-working day.
GP practices may be contacted by a Registrar’s Lead Employer to confirm whether strike days were taken and should refer such an enquiry to the GP Registrar themselves.
The GMC has confirmed that doctors have a legal right to strike; all GP Registrars can, if they choose, take Industrial Action but only BMA members are entitled to Trade Union advice and support if any issues arise as a result of doing so. LMCs are not Trades Unions but can publicise and discuss disseminate advice and guidance relevant to General Practice and GP Registrars; doing so does not constitute encouragement to take Industrial Action.
Clearly although NHS England will have contingency plans in place, there will be some disruption to patient care: patients who anticipate their care and treatment may be affected should be asked to contact the hospital for advice, since GPs are unlikely to be aware of such details, especially as such decisions may be made at the last minute, and depend on how many Resident doctors participate in strike action.