Perthshire GP fears industrial action if threat to doctors' pensions is not lifted
A prominent Tayside GP does not think doctors should pay more towards their pensions and work to the age of 68, and he hopes the Scottish Government will step in to avoid the issue leading to industrial action.
Dr Buist.
- By Andrew Argo
- Published in the Courier : 20.01.12
- Published online : 20.01.12 @ 01.36pm
Dr Andrew Buist, a GP in Blairgowrie and deputy chairman of the British Medical Association's Scottish GP committee, said he is not yet backing a call for Scottish doctors to take industrial action in protest at changes proposed to their pensions.
But he fears industrial action in the form of a work-to-rule — perhaps cancelling weekend clinics — could be the outcome if Scottish health minister Nicola Sturgeon does not step in.
Under the UK Government's plan, doctors' pension contributions would rise from 8.5% to 14.5% of their salary and they would have to work until they are 68. A UK-wide survey by the BMA of 130,000 doctors and medical students — including more than 6,600 in Scotland — found that 84% were opposed to the pension reforms being put forward.
Two thirds of the doctors canvassed said they were prepared to take some form of work-to-rule and more than a third of those aged over 50 said they would retire if the changes are forced.
The BMA is writing to UK health secretary Andrew Lansley and Scottish counterpart Ms Sturgeon asking them to intervene, believing that Ms Sturgeon has the power to broker a separate deal for GPs north of the border if Westminster does not yield. If the proposals remain, the BMA will consider industrial action.
Some civil servants on salaries similar to doctors currently pay contributions of only 3.5%. After the proposed increases, senior doctors will pay up to 14.5% by 2014, while top earning civil servants will pay only 9.5%.
The Blairgowrie GP believed it was wrong to make doctors pay more towards their pensions but the bigger issue was forcing them to work to the age of 68. Three years ago the pension age for doctors was raised from 60 to 65, and Dr Buist said making them work for three more years was a step too far.
''Being a doctor is a very demanding job and as doctors get older they will find it increasingly difficult to give patients the care they need,'' he said.
Dr Buist accepted that other public sector workers are facing the prospect of having to work beyond the age of 65, but he believes doctors are a special case — and not the only ones.
''The police are public sector workers and no one would suggest that they should stay on the beat up to the age of 68 and be able to chase young criminals,'' he asserted. ''Similarly, being a doctor requires a certain level of physical and mental skills, some of which are harder to achieve the older you get. People's thinking gets slower and their manual dexterity becomes impaired.
''There are some public sector jobs that you might be able to continue to do beyond 65 but there are some, like doctors and the police, where I don't think it is reasonable for people to be made to keep working.
''Yes, people are living longer and healthier lives, and people who are 65 today are much healthier than 65-year-olds were 40 years ago because of better care, eating and lifestyles. But the job a doctor would be expected to do beyond the age of 65 becomes much more difficult than it would be for a younger doctor.''
Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the BMA in Scotland whose practice is in Stirlingshire, said: ''The Scottish Government should not underestimate the strength and scale of feeling of doctors on this issue — they feel let down and betrayed.''
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said they were committed to public sector pensions which are affordable, sustainable and fair but occupational pensions are a reserved matter and the UK Government exercises a high degree of control over public sector schemes in Scotland.
She added: ''We intend to consider the long-term reforms in partnership with trade unions and employers once we have greater clarity over the UK Government's continually developing plans.''
05.21pm - 20.01.2012 Mark Lomond - Dundee, UK Report This
The NHS pension pot produces a surplus of £2 Billion A YEAR! Yes thats right, after paying out all NHS pensions, the government makes a PROFIT of £2 Billion a year! Where does all that money go and why does the NHS need to pay more? To subsidise the MP's pensions perhaps given their low contribution
08.14pm - 20.01.2012 John Jones - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Unfortunately for Dr Buist most of the public know that the average UK GP now trousers over £110k per annum for what the BMA has successfully turned into just a 9-to-5 job. This hardly makes people sympathetic to the extraordinarily generous pensions or threats of industrial action harming patients.
09.46am - 21.01.2012 David - Dundee, Scotland Report This
I would fully support such a stance by the medical profession especially in relation to general practice. HMRC already take 40% from their wages on tax and, as GPs are self employed, they have to pay their full share of NI contributions. All these tax increases are starting to become a joke!
03.10pm - 21.01.2012 John - Montrose, United Kingdom Report This
Here is an opportunity for the Scottish Government to show how different an independent Scotland would be with regards to pensions.
01.31pm - 23.01.2012 concerned public servant - Edinburgh, Scotland Report This
There are two issues here: 1) Pensions; It is reported that NHS staff have a gilt edged pension scheme, This is pure spin, we pay for this pension 2) Pension age, due you want say a porter at almost 68 pushing wheelchairs etc. or even childcare nanies of 68 looking after 0 to 5 year olds.
04.53pm - 25.01.2012 nhs drone - Dundee, SCOTLAND Report This
There are umpteen NHS staff that require manual dexterity and quick thinking. This is another example of doctors thinking they're special and ignoring their support staff. Why single out Doctors and Police? What about biomedical scientists?
10.04pm - 26.01.2012 John Millen - Dundee, UK Report This
This is NOT just about doctors! This pension issue is about ALL NHS staff....its only the doctors and nurses that are shouting about it so far! All NHS staff should stick together and sing from the same hymn sheet and reject these changes! Good on the doctors!!!
04.49pm - 27.01.2012 John Jones - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Doctors' chances of winning mass public support to retain their exceptionally generous pension rights when most people on far lower incomes are facing reductions plummeted when it came out that the BMA had won GPs an average of £111K p.a. but also the end of out of hours work.
09.52am - 30.01.2012 Nick - Dundee, UK Report This
Imagine the doctor trying to run down the corridors of Ninewells to a cardiac arrest...aged 68! More likely would induce one in the poor medic. These new plans are scandalous-the scheme was overhauled in 2008 and produces a huge surplus of £2 billion per year. The government's plans are just a tax!
10.05pm - 31.01.2012 Julie Reeter - Dundee, UK Report This
The doctors pensions are no more generous than the nurse, the porter nor the receptionist. Its all the same scheme and so makes no difference between the jobs, Also it makes a £2 bilion surplus. How about we standardise all public sector contribution rates including MPs? NHS workers pay the most!
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