- The government has put forward an offer that will modernise
the consultant contract and reform consultants’ pay structure
- The British Medical Association and Hospital Consultants and
Specialists Association will put the deal to their memberships
this week
- Agreement by union members would see the end of consultant
strike action - benefiting patients and helping to cut waiting
lists
The government and unions representing consultant doctors in
England have reached an agreement to put an offer to union
members following constructive negotiations.
Talks were opened with the British Medical Association (BMA) and
Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) last
month to find a fair and reasonable way forward.
All parties strived to find a fair deal for NHS consultants but
also one that acknowledges the wider economic pressures facing
the UK and the need to continue to bring down
inflation.
The government was clear that the headline pay uplift for 2023-24
was settled through the pay review body process. This offer
builds on that and focuses on measures that will address
consultant concerns while introducing contractual
reforms. The core contract for consultants has not
been updated for 20 years and this offer will modernise it,
including through offering enhanced shared parental leave, in
line with other NHS staff.
The offer will invest in modernising the consultants’ pay
structure – reducing the number of pay points and the time it
takes to reach the top, taking effect from January 2024.
New pay progression arrangements will be introduced to ensure
there is a clearer link between pay progression and evidence of
skills, competencies and experience.
The BMA and the HCSA will put this offer to their members for a
vote in the coming weeks. No further strike action will be
called while members are being consulted.
Prime Minister said:
“Ending damaging strike action in the NHS is vitally
important if we want to continue making progress towards cutting
waiting lists while making sure patients get the care they
deserve.
“This is a fair deal for consultants who will benefit from
major reform to their contract, it is fair for taxpayers because
it will not risk our ongoing work to tackle inflation, and most
importantly it is a good deal for patients to see the end of
consultant industrial action.”
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
“I hugely value the work of NHS consultants and am pleased
that we have been able to make this fair and reasonable offer
after weeks of constructive
negotiations.
“If accepted, it will modernise pay structures, directly
addressing gender pay issues in the NHS. It will also enhance
consultants’ parental leave
options.
“Putting an end to this strike action will support our
efforts to bring down waiting lists and offer patients the
highest quality care.”
The pay scale reforms will also help mitigate the gender pay gap
by delivering a key recommendation made by Professor Dame Jane
Dacre in her review on the Gender Pay Gap in Medicine. To enable
these reforms, unions have agreed to end Local Clinical
Excellence Awards (LCEAs) going forward – an employer level bonus
scheme – which has been seen to contribute to pay
inequalities.
Alongside this, consultants will also be entitled to enhanced
shared parental leave, bringing them in line with other NHS
staff.
As part of this offer, the government and unions have agreed to
work together to review the operation of the Review Body on
Doctors and Dentists Remuneration (DDRB) – the pay review process
for doctors. It will examine the appointments of members to the
DDRB, the timing of the round, remit letters and terms of
reference, and the data provided to the body on which it bases
its recommendations. These changes will be implemented for
the 2025/26 pay year.
As part of this provisional deal, the BMA has also agreed to end
the use of its rate card – which advises doctors on how much to
charge for non-contractual work, including cover during strikes.
Until now, the card has increased the cost of finding shift cover
during industrial action.
This reform package is separate from the pay setting process. It
does not affect the 6% pay award consultants received this
financial year and will it not interfere with the process for
setting pay next year. This is in addition to the
significant reforms to pension taxation, the BMA’s number one
ask, in the Spring Budget earlier this year.
Moving forward, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will
support the NHS to address existing vacancies and meet the
challenges of a growing and aging population by training,
recruiting and retaining hundreds of thousands more staff over
the next 15 years – backed by more than £2.4 billion in
government investment.
The government has listened carefully to the concerns of
consultants, their representatives, and employers - particularly
around retention, motivation and morale. This offer has been
carefully balanced to meet those concerns but also to ensure
value for the taxpayer.
