The government and the BMA union have agreed on a better pay agreement for junior doctors in England, totaling an average of 22% over two years.
The junior doctors’ committee of the BMA has decided to present the offer to its members.
If approved, it would bring an end to ongoing strike action that caused the cancelation of numerous appointments since March 2023.
It is anticipated that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will disclose the details of the agreement in the House of Commons at a later time.
Members will have the opportunity to vote on the proposal.
The most recent proposal from the government includes a 4% retroactive salary increase for 2023-24, in addition to the current average 9% raise from the previous fiscal year.
A further 6% raise is being provided for the 2024-25 period, along with an additional consolidated payment of £1,000.
This makes the overall amount for each junior doctor around 22% in total for the two years.
The BMA’s committee for junior doctors will propose the offer to its members, who will then have the opportunity to vote on the agreement.
Junior doctors have been advocating for a 35% salary boost to compensate for what they claim are multiple years of pay increases that have not kept up with inflation.
Appointments that have been cancelled
Junior doctors in England have participated in industrial action on 11 occasions since March 2023 due to a contentious pay disagreement.
According to NHS England, the most recent strike lasting five days, happened shortly before the general election, resulting in the rescheduling of 61,989 appointments, procedures, and operations.
Junior doctors in Wales have recently approved a better pay agreement, whereas negotiations are continuing in Northern Ireland with no strike action planned at the moment.
Junior doctors in Scotland did not go on strike as they agreed to a salary proposal from the regional government in the previous year.