Manx Care says it is disappointed in not being able to resolve pay negotiations with doctors - but is unable to improve its offer.
Doctors are to ballot for industrial action for the first time in the Isle of Man, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced this week.
The BMA said doctors are ‘deeply frustrated, over-stretched and underpaid’ - and have experienced real terms pay cuts by up to 29% since 2008.
It is calling for a 12.6% uplift for the last financial year (2023-24).
.jpeg?width=209&height=140&crop=209:145,smart&quality=75)
But in response, Manx Care said it has taken the lead on pay negotiations with doctors and dentists.
Manx Care chief executive Teresa Cope said it would cost an extra £3.5m to £4m to fund the BMA’s pay demand for island doctors.
It said the basic salary scale for doctors in the Isle of Man in April 2022 was £28,348 for a year 1 foundation house officer to £158,750 for the highest paid consultant, and with the interim award of 6% for the 2023-24, this takes the scale from £30,048 to £168,275.
This compares with the latest UK pay agreement, which is £36, 616 to £131,964, according to BMA figures, Manx Care said.
Offers of 3% for 2021-22 financial year and 6% plus £1,000 for 2022-23 were both accepted by the BMA.
But the union has rejected an offer of 6% for the 2023-24 financial year and 4% for 2024-25
Manx Care said these offers and increases are in line with pay increases for our other staff colleagues.
A spokesperson said: ‘Discussions between Manx Care and staff-side representatives have continued although Manx Care has been unable to improve its offer any further in light of financial constraints, offering the full amount of budget available for annual pay awards.
‘Manx Care is aware of and respects the BMA’s position with regard to this offer and remains committed to working with the BMA to resolve the pay dispute.
‘We are disappointed that we have not been able to resolve the pay negotiations with doctors and consequently, the Manx Care board in September 2024 took the decision to make an interim award of 6% for the financial year 2023-24 whilst negotiations continue in light of the current economic climate and cost of living pressures on staff.
‘This has been communicated to medical staff and will be paid in the near future.’
Around 155 doctors will be eligible able to vote in the ballot, including consultants, and salaried GPs directly employed by Manx Care.
Chair of the Isle of Man Medical Society, Dr Prakash Thiagarajan said: ‘No doctor wants to go on strike, but we’ve been trying to improve working conditions for doctors on the Isle of Man by other means for years, to no avail.’