Nurses in England could be back on the picket line after reacting angrily to the government offering consultants a double-digit pay rise while promising another pay rise.
Officials agreed to a deal under which consultants would receive a raise of up to 13 percent this fiscal year, although it wouldn’t be paid out until April 2024. In 2024/2025 they will receive an additional increase, the amount of which has not yet been determined.
Consultants are among the highest paid employees in the NHS, with starting salaries of just under £94,000 and rising to more than £126,000. This year they went on strike along with junior doctors after they received a 6 per cent pay rise.
The new agreement will provide an additional 4.95 percent of the salary budget, but the overall increase that individual consultants will receive will range from zero to nearly 12.8 percent for most when their contracts are renegotiated.
The offer is now aimed at members of the British Medical Association (BMA), as well as those belonging to the much smaller Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA). If the deal is agreed, strikes by leading hospital doctors in England will end, although negotiations between the government and specialists, consultants and specialists (SAS) and junior doctors are still ongoing.
The deal with the consultants will put pressure on junior doctors to end the labor dispute and reach an agreement. They are demanding a 35.3 percent pay increase, much more than the consultants demanded.
Rishi Sunak said: “Ending disruptive strikes across the NHS is vital if we are to continue to make progress in reducing waiting lists while ensuring patients receive the care they deserve.”
“It’s a fair deal for consultants who will benefit from comprehensive contract reform, it’s fair for taxpayers as it doesn’t compromise our ongoing efforts to fight inflation, and most importantly it’s a good deal for patients that will end the crisis experience.” . Labor dispute consultant.”
But nurses, who received just a 5 per cent pay rise this year after months of strikes, said they were “shocked” by the agreement with the consultants.
Professor Nicola Ranger, chief nurse at the Royal College of Nursing, said: “The Government has demonstrated that it has the political will to reform the pay of some of the highest earners in the NHS, while leaving pay rises for our members at the bottom of the health service.” Public attention.” Sector.
“Nurses work closely with consultants and we have been advocating for faster progression up the pay scale for many years. This would help recognize nurses’ safety-critical and life-saving skills, but many spend most of their careers on the same NHS pay scale.
“It is worrying that almost 12 months after nurses’ unprecedented decision to strike, our pay dispute remains unresolved and the Government continues to undervalue our profession. “Today’s news will further inflame the anger of our members and make nurse strikes more likely in the future.”
Victoria Atkins, who took over as health secretary two weeks ago, said the main consultant contract had not been renewed for 20 years, so the new proposal would “modernise” the contract, including offering more comprehensive shared parental leave, like other proposals National Health Service. staff.
Consultant starting salaries and senior-level salaries will rise under the new pay structure, the BMA said. The union said consultants would reach the top pay grade five years earlier than under the current agreement.
Officials said pay reform included in the agreement would also help close the gender pay gap among hospital consultants.
Dr Vishal Sharma, chairman of the BMA advisory committee, said: “We are pleased that after a month of intense discussions and more than six months of industrial action that we never intended to undertake, we can now make a proposal to members.”
“It is a shame that councilors had to go on strike to get the government to the point where we called for talks many months ago.
“How each consultant benefits from this depends on their individual situation. We will provide you with as much detail as possible so you can review the details carefully and decide whether to accept the offer.”
Officials expect the deal with the consultants to be cheaper than continuing the strikes. NHS England estimates the strikes have cost around £1.5 billion and have plunged hospitals into financial crisis.
Source: I News

I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.