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Senior doctors in Wales will hold a vote on strike action next month in a dispute over pay.

BMA Cymru Wales will ballot secondary care doctors on industrial action after negotiations over pay broke down earlier this year.

The doctors’ union announced this week that junior doctors in Wales will go on a three-day strike from January 15.

The BMA rejected the 5% uplift for consultants, junior, and specialty and associate specialist (SAS) doctors. SAS doctors on some contracts were awarded 1.5%, while other on more recent ones were awarded 2.5%.

Although it was rejected by the British Medical Association, the Welsh Government went ahead and imposed the pay increase.

The strike ballots, which will be open to all BMA consultant and SAS doctor members in Wales, are set to run concurrently for six weeks closing on March 4.

The 5% in Wales is the lowest pay increase of the UK nations. In England doctors were offered a 6% rise in July.

BMA Cymru Wales claims that over the past 15 years, consultants and SAS doctors in Wales have experienced a pay cut of almost a third.

Dr Stephen Kelly, chair of BMA Cymru Wales consultants committee, said: “Whilst no doctor wants to take industrial action, poor working conditions are driving senior doctors to retire early, reduce their hours or leave NHS Wales. All the while patients get sicker, and outcomes get worse. 

“Significant gaps in the workforce are only making things worse. Investing in staff retention should be the Welsh Government’s number one priority when looking to improve NHS services and so quite simply we have run out of options.” 

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that doctors are balloting for industrial action. We understand the strength of feeling among doctors about the 5% pay offer and the pressures all public sector workers are under due to the cost-of-living crisis.

“Without additional funding from the UK Government, we are not in a position to currently offer any more. We will continue to press them to pass on the funding necessary for full and fair pay rises for public sector workers.

 “We remain committed to working in social partnership with the British Medical Association and are available for further talks at any stage.”