Junior doctors accept a 22% increase, but warn they want more

Junior doctors in England have accepted the government’s offer of a 22% pay rise, but warn they want more in the coming years.

Members of the British Medical Association supported the agreement offered by the government with 66% of the vote in favor of the increase, which is spread over two years. Almost 46,000 participated in the online vote.

It puts an end to the 18-month dispute, which has seen junior doctors take part in 11 separate strikes.

But the BMA has warned that this must be just the start of a series of above-inflation pay rises or there will be “consequences”.

The deal increases the starting salary for a junior doctor from £29,384 in 2022-23 to £36,616 a year in basic pay. Those at the top of the pay scale earn more than £70,000.

But junior doctors usually make 25% to 30% more in extra payments for things like overtime and antisocial hours.

The offer was made by Health Secretary Wes Streeting in late July – just weeks after Labor won the election.

He said he was “pleased” it had been accepted, ending the “most devastating dispute in the history of the health service”.

“This marks the first necessary step in our mission to cut waiting lists, reform the broken health service, and make it fit for the future,” added Streeting.

But the BMA’s chief medical officer, Dr Vivek Trivedi, warned that the deal had only started “to turn the tide on pay cuts”.

He described it as a “compromise” – the BMA had been after a 35% pay rise to make up for what it says are 15 years of under-inflation pay awards.

He said that in future years, the expectation was that wages would continue to rise above inflation – and if this did not happen, the government should be “prepared for the consequences”.

“It marks the beginning of the journey, but the journey is not over.”

The pay deal includes a backdated pay rise of 4% for 2023-24, on top of the existing rise they have already received on average of 9% for the last financial year.

A further pay rise of around 8% will be paid for 2024-25, as recommended by an independent pay review body.

That brings the total over the two years to about 22%, on average, for each junior doctor, with the lowest paid receiving the biggest increases.

Industrial action in the NHS is estimated to have cost taxpayers around £1.7 billion during 2023 and 2024.

Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive of NHS Employers, which represents NHS trusts, said: “Health leaders will breathe a huge sigh of relief to know that the dispute has come to a successful resolution.

“The last thing our members wanted was the threat of more strikes over what is expected to be a very difficult winter.”

Junior doctors in Wales recently voted in favor of an improved pay deal, while in Northern Ireland talks are ongoing and no strike is expected.

Junior doctors have not taken industrial action in Scotland after accepting a pay offer from the devolved government last year.

The announcement comes before the title of junior doctor that is abandoned in favor of the term resident doctors from Wednesday.

Streeting agreed to the change during the discussions.

The term junior doctor has long been frowned upon by the BMA, who believe it does not reflect the experience and standing of junior doctors – some of whom may have eight or more years’ experience.