MS, Cabinet Secretary for
Health and Social Care: Following a decision to re-enter contract
negotiations for resident doctors and dentists in Wales, which
was part of the 2023-24 agreement to end industrial action, BMA
Cymru Wales and NHS Wales Employers have taken part in formal
negotiations on joint proposals for revised terms and conditions.
I am grateful to BMA Cymru Wales and to NHS Wales Employers for
their collective approach. I am very pleased that, following the
results of a referendum among BMA Cymru Wales resident doctor
members, the proposed contract has been accepted.
This agreement marks a significant milestone in our ongoing
commitment to invest and modernise terms and conditions for
medical and dental professionals and to ensure NHS Wales
continues to be an attractive and supportive place to train and
work for resident doctors and dentists.
This agreement aims to:
- Deliver an equitable and progressive pay structure, aligned
with skills and experience.
- Improve recruitment, retention, motivation and engagement of
resident doctors and dentists to make Wales the preferred
destination for medical and dental training.
- Ensure high-quality care by enabling employers and residents
to meet shared responsibilities to patients, while maintaining
competitiveness with other UK and international training
programmes.
- Provide a clear entitlement to protected study time,
modernise terms and conditions to support well-being and patient
safety, and a return on investment in line with A Healthier Wales
and the Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care.
I want to thank all parties involved for their collaborative
approach in reaching this agreement. This demonstrates the
strength of social partnership in Wales and our shared commitment
to delivering high-quality care.
