Resident doctors re-enter pay dispute with government
Members urged to get ‘ballot-ready’ following delay to DDRB pay recommendation
Resident doctors have re-entered a formal pay dispute with the Government owing to the delay to the pay recommendation by the DDRB (Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration).
The DDRB failed to submit its pay recommendations for 2025/26 by the start of the financial year (6 April), despite committing to reforms as part of the consultants’ pay deal agreed last year.
These included timely publication of the DDRB recommendations. The BMA resident doctors committee responded by saying the body has ‘fallen at the first hurdle’, thus ‘throwing into doubt their seriousness about enacting the reforms’.
RDC, which represents resident doctors in England, wants to see further steps made towards pay restoration, following the deal accepted by members last year – shortly after the new government was formed.
Resident doctors were awarded an on average 22.3 per cent pay uplift for the years 2023/24 and 2024/25. The deal, while a step in the right direction, still left resident doctors’ pay 20.8 per cent behind what it was in 2008 in real terms.
Shaky start
RDC co-chairs Ross Nieuwoudt and Melissa Ryan (pictured, top) said: ‘It is very disappointing to be in this position
‘We had hoped that the pay deal last year marked the start of a new era of cooperation between the Government and doctors in securing a path to pay restoration through mutual trust and negotiation. Wes Streeting has made it clear that he wants to avoid the mistakes of the previous Government’s intransigent approach, and we welcome that.
‘However, cooperation requires mutual trust. The failure to keep to agreed timetables is an ominous sign that that trust is already eroding. We have no desire to move towards industrial action and the impact on patient care that will inevitably result. So right here, right now, let’s head this off at the pass.
‘Dispute does not need to mean discord, and we are keen to get around the table. We’re asking Wes Streeting to come forward with a plan to put us back on the road to pay restoration. The first step is publishing the DDRB’s recommendation. The second will be ensuring that the Government’s actual offer is sufficient.’
In a letter to members, the co-chairs urged resident doctors to get ‘ballot ready’ in case a vote on whether or not to take industrial action over the issue is called.
It said: ‘It’s not too late for the Government to avoid escalation by committing to releasing the report as soon as it arrives and to negotiate if the pay recommendation is inadequate.
‘Should the DDRB’s recommendation fail to sufficiently progress us towards full pay restoration, we are fully prepared to get around the table to negotiate with Wes Streeting on a credible offer to be put to you. But we all need to be preparing for the increasing likelihood of a ballot for industrial action.’
(Image credit: BMA / Matthew Saywell)
