Many junior doctors aren’t convinced by the new pay offer

Junior doctors on strike at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London in February (Picture: Guy Smallman)

Junior doctors’ leaders have agreed a new pay deal with the government to end their strikes. But many BMA union members, who were demanding full pay restoration, say it doesn’t go far enough. 

The agreement could lead to their wages rising by 20 percent—but over two years. It’s always misleading when union leaders talk about big rises over several years because it leaves aside the multi-year effect of inflation. 

It’s true that action has moved the government beyond its initial demands—strikes work.

The latest offer follows 44 days of strikes since junior doctors first took action in March 2023 in pursuit of a 35 percent pay rise.

The BMA junior doctors’ committee says it will put the new offer to a vote of its tens of thousands of members. Junior doctors should reject it and continue to insist on the full demand.

One junior doctor wrote in a BMA members’ WhatsApp group, “We were right to say 35 percent was needed to stop disastrous loss of staff and to keep patients safe. That’s still true. I won’t be voting for a deal that has no long-term strategy for full pay restoration.”

Another said, “We have a new government and the BMA seems to want to show it  will cooperate with health secretary Wes Streeting. I understand the desire to turn the page after Conservative rule.

“But that doesn’t mean we should take an inadequate deal.”

The offer is for a backdated pay rise of 4.05 per cent for 2023-24, on top of an existing increase of between 8.8 percent and 10.3 percent, depending on grades.

Junior doctors will be given a further pay rise of 6 percent for 2024-25, which will be topped up by a consolidated £1,000 payment. This is equivalent to a pay rise of between 7 percent and 9 percent.

The BMA leaders have swallowed a condition of the deal. It says, “The BMA, the Junior Doctors Committee, and its officers will consistently and firmly recommend to their members that this offer should be accepted.” 

If junior doctors reject the deal and restart strikes, they can win more. And they can also give a fighting lead to  hundreds of thousands of other NHS workers who can battle for pay justice and to win the funding needed for the health service.