Junior Doctors in England Accept Government’s 22% Pay Rise Offer, Ending Long-Running Dispute
Junior doctors in England have officially accepted the government’s offer of a 22% pay rise over two years, bringing an end to their 18-month dispute with the British government. The decision follows a vote by members of the British Medical Association (BMA), with 66% of nearly 46,000 members who participated in the online ballot voting in favour of the deal.
This marks the conclusion of a dispute that involved 11 separate strikes, during which junior doctors demanded better pay. However, the BMA has warned that further above-inflation pay rises will be expected in future years, cautioning that failure to meet these demands will result in “consequences.”
The pay offer, presented by Health Secretary Wes Streeting in late July, came shortly after Labour’s election victory. Streeting expressed his satisfaction at the acceptance of the deal, calling it the “necessary first step” towards cutting waiting lists, reforming the healthcare system, and making it future-ready.
The deal includes a 4% backdated pay rise for 2023-24, in addition to a 9% increase already received for the previous financial year. For 2024-25, junior doctors will receive an additional 8% pay increase, as recommended by an independent pay review body. This brings the total pay rise over two years to approximately 22%, with the largest increases going to the lowest-paid junior doctors.
The BMA had initially campaigned for a 35% pay increase, arguing that years of below-inflation pay rises had eroded doctors’ earnings. Industrial action related to the dispute is estimated to have cost taxpayers around £1.7 billion over the course of 2023 and 2024.
Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairs of the BMA, emphasised that the deal was a “modest” above-inflation award and that junior doctors’ pay remained below 2008 levels. They also stressed that further pay increases would be expected in the future, with a warning to the government to be prepared for “consequences” if those expectations are not met.
“We thank all doctors who stood on picket lines and fought for their worth,” the co-chairs said, acknowledging that while the campaign is not over, the deal represents significant progress.
Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, representing NHS trusts, welcomed the resolution, stating that healthcare leaders would “breathe a massive sigh of relief” as the threat of further strikes has been averted ahead of what is expected to be a difficult winter for the NHS.
In Wales, junior doctors recently voted in favour of an improved pay deal, while negotiations are ongoing in Northern Ireland, with no strike action planned. In Scotland, junior doctors avoided industrial action after accepting a pay offer from the devolved government last year.
Additionally, the announcement coincides with a change in the title of junior doctors, which will be replaced by the term “resident doctors” starting Wednesday. The BMA has long disliked the term “junior doctor,” arguing that it did not reflect the experience and expertise of many doctors who have several years of service.
Health Secretary Streeting agreed to the change during negotiations.
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