Date Published: 15 September 2008
Isle of Man health service threatened with staff exodus, warns BMA
The Isle of Man health service is threatened with a potentially disastrous staff exodus, the BMA warns today (Monday 15 September, 2008).
The Manx government is currently considering recommendations from an external review of public service pensions, one of which is to sever the link with the UK NHS pensions scheme.
NHS staff – who can currently move freely between posts in the UK and the Isle of Man – fear that the changes could cost them thousands of pounds while raising their retirement age by five years
The BMA is aware that some doctors are already considering leaving posts on the Isle of Man, which could have serious staffing implications for its health service. Nine in ten consultants working in the Isle of Man Health Service are recruited from the UK.
Commenting on the proposals today (Monday 15 September, 2008) Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of Council at the BMA, says:
“Breaking the link between the Isle of Man’s pension scheme and that of the UK NHS would not just be an unacceptable retrospective change, it would be an absolute disaster for health services on the island.
The majority of doctors working on the island are not Manx. Attracting suitably qualified clinicians to work in the Manx Health Service if an inferior pension scheme is on offer would become very difficult indeed. The Manx public deserve better.
In fighting this intolerable assault on their pay and conditions, the island’s doctors have the support of the BMA.”
The BMA has questioned claims that the changes would provide value for money, because the administration of the new scheme would incur high actuarial and consultancy fees.
Source: British Medical Association.
