The Government may be starting to consider the impact of their obligatory pension reforms that will result in doctors working much longer than ever before. The pension reforms mean that junior doctors will be forced to work until they are 68. The profession has warned of the risks of forcing doctors to work when they may be faced with significant health issues or simply be past their prime.
The pension reforms mean that junior doctors will be forced to work until they are 68. The profession has warned of the risks of forcing doctors to work when they may be faced with significant health issues or simply be past their prime.
According to an article by the GP paper Pulse, doctors with patient facing roles could be moved to the “back office” once they feel unable to perform their clinical duties. The Working Longer Review forum is negotiating on behalf of the BMA and other trade unions about how to implement the Government's reforms to public sector pension schemes and plans to meet in September to examine these proposals.
Doctors with patient facing roles could be moved to the “back office” once they feel unable to perform their clinical duties.
Clearly, this idea would only work if there were enough clinical staff to replace those moving into more administrative roles. It would therefore require a greater financial investment in staffing which may not be possible in the current economic crisis.
That move may end up creating large numbers of highly paid managers, who are disengaged and inexperienced in the role.
The Government has little understanding of the day-to-day workings of the NHS and that move may end up creating large numbers of highly paid managers, who are disengaged and inexperienced in the role. In general practice, management roles are best served by dedicated practice managers and not GPs.
In general practice, management roles are best served by dedicated practice managers and not GPs.
The Government may find that it would be cheaper to maintain the current retirement age rather than cobbling together a system to take clinicians away from patient facing roles. It may be that they are simply trying to reduce job satisfaction in order that doctors have little choice to take an actuarial reduction in their pension and retire early.
The prospect of working until aged 68 in a busy, challenging clinical role seems daunting to many doctors who have trained for many years. However, the alternative scenario of administrative duties may make this seem a much more attractive option.
Before a raft of new back office clinical managers are implemented in the NHS, the dispute on pensions will need to come to a conclusion.
BMA Council members have insisted “all options” for future industrial action are currently still on the table. Before a raft of new back office clinical managers are implemented in the NHS, the dispute on pensions will need to come to a conclusion.