New Pay Offer Made to NHS Consultants Could End All Strike
A Fresh pay offer has been made to the NHS consultants in hopes of ending all strike action.
The new pay offer will take place in January 2024. It will be on top of the 6% annual rise consultants were given earlier this year.
Many senior doctors will also receive an extra increase in their wages and an additional 4.95% in consultants’ pay.
A minority of doctor’s pay will vary from 0-13% as part of the overhaul of their contracts.
The amounts they will receive are still undecided, but if accepted will be applicable next year.
Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) will now vote on the offer, along with other benefits and terms and conditions.
The offer would change the structure of the pay scale, which would increase wages.
The BMA said, “Consultants will reach the top of the pay scale five years sooner than under the current scheme.”
Previously, nurses and other health workers got 5% and the one-off sum of at least 1,655 this year to end the strike.
However, this new offer will increase starting salaries (to approximately £100k) for consultants and the salary at the top of the new pay scale structure (around £132k).
The merit of this deal will depend on what stage in their careers the doctors are at.
The offer was introduced after the nine days of strike regarding a dispute over pay in early October.
“Modernized Pay scale”
The Government is also negotiating with Junior doctors over pay, as they were involved in numerous walkouts this past year.
BMA consultants leader Dr Vishal Sharma said he was pleased there had been a breakthrough.
“It is a huge shame that it has needed consultants to take industrial action to get to this point,” he added.
Victoria Atkins, the new Health Secretary who signed off on the deal, said, “It was a fair and reasonable offer.”
“Putting an end to this strike action will support our efforts to bring down waiting lists and offer patients the highest-quality care,” she added.
Sharma said the changes will “modernize the pay scale and make significant progress in addressing the gender pay gap.”
There will also be secured access to enhanced shared parental leave, something currently not available to consultants.
Consultants will have to wait until April to get the extra money.
HCSA president Dr Naru Narayanan said the announcement follows weeks of intense negotiations.
“Yet while it has benefits for consultants, our executive expressed concerns about some parts of the package, including around changes to pay progression and [Supporting Professional Activities] time.
“In the coming days, we shall do our utmost to educate our consultant members on the changes so they can make their own informed decisions.
“Whatever that decision is, we shall be led by our members.
“While the ballot is open, HCSA has agreed to pause strikes by consultants, but the mandate members have given us for industrial action will remain in place, he added.
The BMA members will vote on the pay offer for about 5 weeks, starting mid-December.
