Resident doctors in England vote to accept government pay and jobs deal
9 reported
Resident doctors in England have voted to accept a new government offer on pay and jobs, ending strike action that has cost the NHS £1bn since last summer. The British Medical Association called off a strike earlier this month to put the offer to members. The package includes standard 2016 resident doctor contract terms for locally employed medics and an average 6.6% pay uplift to be fully implemented by April 2027, along with 4,500 extra specialty training places over three years. The Department of Health and Social Care said the deal means resident doctor pay will be 35.2% higher on average compared with four years ago. Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said the strikes will now end, calling the offer sufficient to continue on the road to pay restoration and address the lack of jobs. The health secretary, James Murray, called the deal good news for doctors, patients, and the NHS, while noting it is the beginning of the journey. The first strike by resident doctors began on 13 March 2023, and thousands of patients have had appointments and operations cancelled due to walkouts.
What’s reported
Resident doctors in England voted to accept a new government deal on pay and jobs.
Strike action has cost the NHS £1bn since last summer.
The package includes standard 2016 resident doctor contract terms for locally employed medics.
An average 6.6% pay uplift will be fully implemented by April 2027.
There will be 4,500 extra specialty training places over three years.
The Department of Health and Social Care said resident doctor pay will be 35.2% higher on average compared with four years ago.
53% of eligible BMA members voted in favour in a referendum, with 57% turnout and 32,932 doctors voting.
The first strike by resident doctors began on 13 March 2023.
In the last 12 months, resident medics walked out for a total of 21 days, costing the NHS £50m a day.
Key figures
Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee (RDC)
James Murray, health secretary
Dean Royles, interim chief executive of NHS Employers
Wes Streeting, then health secretary (mentioned in context of 2024 pay rise)
Sources: The Guardian
