Junior doctors push for another pay rise after accepting two-year pay offer to avoid more strikes

Junior doctors who have accepted a two-year pay offer will expect another above-inflation rise in April to avoid NHS strikes.

The doctors in England voted to take a government deal worth 22.3% over the last and the current financial years – so ending the longest period of strikes in NHS history.

But the British Medical Association’s junior doctors’ committee says pay is still too low. Committee co-chairman Dr Vivek Trivedi said: “We will expect pay uplifts each and every year, as we have done in the past.”

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He said if they do not happen they will reluctantly consider striking again. Co-chair Dr Robert Laurenson said: “The sentiment on the ground… is there is no security or certainty for the future. We’ll be having to look at April next year… towards the pay review body’s recommendation to make sure that we maintain that pace towards pay restoration.”

“If, as we see over the last 14 to 15 years, there’s more pay erosion, with real-terms pay cuts. We’ll have no option but to go back into dispute, because Wes Streeting [Health Secretary] would have overpromised and under-delivered.” Asked what junior doctors would expect, he said: “An above-inflation pay rise.”

The two-year deal gives pay rises of between 3.71% and 5.05% on top of the existing pay award for 2023-24. It will be backdated to April last year.

Each part of the pay scale will also be increased by 6%, plus £1,000. Base pay for a doctor starting NHS foundation training rises from £32,400 to £36,600 and for a full-time doctor doing speciality training from £43,900 to £49,900.

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