NHS consultant strikes could be set to end after the government and medical unions reached an agreement for members, it has been announced.
Consultants have been offered a 4.95 per cent investment into their contract for this financial year, in addition to the 6 per cent already awarded.
The British Medical Association and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association have agreed to recommend a new pay deal to their members following a month of negotiations with the government.
Union members will have to vote and if the offer is accepted it will mean the end of consultants strikes.
The overall pay increase for consultants will vary, while some will receive the minimum of 6 per cent others will receive 12.8 per cent, the BMA said. The increase will depend on what stage of their career a doctor is at.
Dr Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair, said: “We are pleased that after a month of intense talks and more than six months of strike action we never wanted to take, we have now got an offer we can put to members. It is a huge shame that it has needed consultants to take industrial action to get the Government to this point when we called for talks many months ago.”
“We also now have commitments to reforming the pay review process, which has been a key ask from the profession throughout our dispute. Only by restoring the independence of this process can we hope to restore consultant pay over the coming years.
“How each consultant will benefit will depend on their individual circumstances, and we will be providing them with as much detail as we can, so they are able to look carefully through the details to help them decide whether to accept the offer.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak 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.”
More to follow…