Consultants in England have reached a deal with the Government which could potentially end strikes, officials have said.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it reached an agreement with consultants from the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) after weeks of talks.
The deal will now be put to members of the unions.
If members agree to the deal, strikes by top hospital doctors would end.
DHSC officials said the new offer will “modernise the consultant contract and reform consultants’ pay structure”.
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.”
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.— Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins added: “I hugely value the work of NHS consultants and am pleased that we have been able to make this fair and reasonable offer after weeks of constructive negotiations.
“If accepted, it will modernise pay structures, directly addressing gender pay issues in the NHS. It will also enhance consultants’ parental leave options.
“Putting an end to this strike action will support our efforts to bring down waiting lists and offer patients the highest quality care.”
DHSC said that the offer “builds on that and focuses on measures that will address consultant concerns while introducing contractual reforms”.
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— Dr Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair,
This includes:
– The BMA said the offer from the Government is for “4.95% investment in pay for this financial year, in addition to the 6% pay uplift already awarded for this year”.
– It said that these proposals will mean that consultants will receive a minimum of 6% in 2023/24 as a result of the previously implemented pay award, but the majority of consultants will also receive an additional uplift of up to 12.8% depending on their pay point, and this will apply from January 2024.
– There will be an increase to the starting salary for a consultant, and to the salary at the top of the new pay scale structure, the union said.
– The department said that the core consultant contract has not been updated for 20 years, so the new offer will “modernise” the contract including by offering enhanced shared parental leave, in line with other NHS staff.
– The deal will also see changes to consultants’ pay structure, taking effect from January 2024.
– Officials said that pay scale reforms in the deal will also help mitigate the gender pay gap seen between hospital consultants. The BMA said that consultants will reach the top of the pay scale five years sooner than under the current scheme.
– DHSC said that it will also work with unions to “review the operation” of the pay review body (Doctors and Dentists Remuneration) which advises Government on doctor pay.
– The BMA has agreed to end the use of its rate card – which advises doctors on how much to charge for non-contractual work, including cover, during strikes, DHSC said.
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.
“The 4.95% investment and much-needed changes to the pay scale system comes after we successfully persuaded the Government to reform the punitive pension taxation laws earlier this year, and 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.”
HCSA president Dr Naru Narayanan added: “In coming days we shall do our utmost to educate our consultant members so they can make their own informed decision. Whatever that decision is, we shall be led by our members.”
Talks between the Government and specialist, associate specialist and specialty doctors (SAS) and junior doctors are ongoing.
