The newly proposed pay increase for senior doctors in England has been approved by unions, but the decision will now be in the hands of consultant members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association. The pay offer includes an additional £3,000 for consultants a few years into their careers. This comes after consultants staged four strikes in protest of their current pay disputes.
The new pay deal includes an extra 2.85% – or £3,000 – for those with four to seven years’ experience. Prior to this offer, consultants at this stage weren’t offered any additional compensation. It’s noted that other consultants were receiving up to an extra 12.8%. Dr. Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair, said that this offer was “hard-fought-for,” but insisted that each consultant will have the final say.
Alongside the proposed pay increase, the government has also agreed to reform the body that makes recommendations on doctor pay. The BMA has stated that it believes this pay offer represents a significant step forward in their goals of reforming the pay review process and preventing future pay cuts. The pay proposal will now be put to the BMA’s consultant members for their consideration and acceptance.
The decision to approve or reject the proposal comes after years of disagreement regarding doctors’ pay. Consultants are hoping this new offer represents a significant step forward in ensuring fair and equal compensation across the board. The BMA hopes that this will be the beginning of a more collaborative effort to reform pay review processes and ensure that pay cuts are prevented in the future
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