The Royal College of Nursing has described the offer to NHS consultants of at least six per cent as "galling" and said it increased the likelihood of fresh strikes by its members.
RCN chief nurse Prof Nicola Ranger said: "Nursing staff will be appalled by this announcement and where it leaves them. The government has shown it has the political will to reform pay for some of the highest earners in the NHS, while our members are left with the lowest pay rise in the public sector."
The offer would "ignite our members' fury further, making nursing strikes more likely in the future", she added.
A five per cent pay rise for nurses and other health workers was put on the table in March 2023.
While RCN members rejected it, most of the other health unions representing ambulance workers, porters and physiotherapists backed it, so the government imposed the deal.
The RCN then balloted for strike action but failed to reach the threshold required for a strike to be lawful.
RCN sources said there remained "unfinished business" in their dispute and the union would now speak to members before deciding what to do next.
What were consultants offered?
The new deal will give most consultants up to a 12.8 per cent increase for this financial year and a minimum of six per cent, although earlier this year the government said it would not increase pay beyond six per cent.
The increase consultants receive will depend on the stage of their career. Figures shared by the British Medical Association show some senior doctors get an overall pay increase of 19 per cent, meaning some salaries will increase by nearly £20,000.
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.”
What were nurses offered?
A five per cent pay rise for nurses and other health workers was put on the table in March 2023. They were also given a one-off sum of at least £1,655.
Could nurses go on strike again?
Further nurse strikes could be likely. Prof Ranger told The Times: "It's galling that almost 12 months since nursing staff took the unprecedented decision to strike, our pay dispute remains unresolved and the government continues to undervalue our profession."
