Junior doctor offered new pay deal in England

The government and the BMA trade union have struck an improved pay deal for junior doctors in England worth 22% on average over two years.

The BMA’s junior doctors’ committee has agreed to put the offer to its members.

If accepted it would spell an end to long-running strike action which has led to the cancellation of hundreds of thousands of appointments since March 2023.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce the terms of the deal in the Commons later.

The latest government offer is understood to be made up of a 4% backdated pay rise for 2023-24, on top of the existing increase worth an average of 9% for the last financial year.

An additional 6% increase is being offered for 2024-25, bringing the total over the two years to roughly 22%, on average, for each junior doctor.

The BMA’s junior doctors’ committee will recommend the offer to its members, who will then be asked to vote on the deal.

Junior doctors have been campaigning for a 35% pay increase to make up for what they say are years of below inflation pay rises.

Junior doctors in England have taken industrial action 11 times since March 2023 in what’s become a bitter dispute over pay.

The latest five day strike – which took place just days before the general election – led to the postponement of 61,989 appointments, procedures and operations, according to NHS England.

Junior doctors in Wales recently voted in favour of an improved pay deal while, in Northern Ireland, talks are ongoing and no strike action is currently planned.

Junior doctors have not taken industrial action in Scotland after they accepted a pay offer from the devolved government last year.