Unions have blasted a “derisory” 2.4 per cent pay rise for doctors that has been proposed by the government next year, reports BritPanorama.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England informed the independent advisory panel that this increase for the 2027/28 financial year could be achieved “without having to make trade-offs against headline government health commitments”.
Criticism from unions was swift, describing the offer as “derisory” and stating it “beggars belief”. Joint evidence to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) highlighted that the DHSC and NHS are already managing various material financial risks.
These risks encompass “the impact of higher inflation, energy costs, industrial action and reducing immigration health surcharge income,” according to the submission. It warned that NHS pay is under significant pressure, noting that every 0.5 per cent increase to pay costs approximately £750 million, equating to more than 89,000 hip or knee replacement operations.
The British Medical Association (BMA) denounced the recommendation, characterising the proposed pay rise as a “pay cut”.
BMA Council chairman Dr Tom Dolphin stated: “It beggars belief that at a time when patients are being treated in hospital corridors and car parks, people are waiting too long for a GP appointment and the government’s pledge to bring down waiting lists is stalling, ministers are saying doctors deserve a pay cut.”
Dr Dolphin further asserted that while recent years have seen some hard-fought progress, pay for doctors is still significantly lower than it was two decades ago, with larger salary reductions than any other professional group.
Helga Pile, head of health at Unison, indicated that more than 200,000 NHS staff earn less than the real living wage. She remarked, “NHS staff will take a very dim view of ministers trying once again to get away with an insulting pay rise, falling well short of expected inflation.”
Pile continued, “This government came into office on a promise of change. Two years later it’s pledging hope, but most NHS workers have seen neither. With the usual winter pressures just around the corner, and bills set to go through the roof, the suggestion of such a derisory increase is even harder for health staff to take.”
The BMA urged the DDRB to consider “what the NHS and patients really need”. In 2026, the government accepted a 3.5 per cent pay increase recommended by the DDRB, which exceeded its initial proposal of 2.5%.
Dr Dolphin cautioned, “Cutting pay is not the way to tell a workforce you value them, and doing so will do nothing to keep doctors in the country and the NHS working to improve the experience of patients and performance of services.”
He noted that the current environment, where groups of doctors are in dispute and consultants in England have a mandate for strike action, suggests that failing to recognise and value their expertise could lead to further industrial unrest and disruption.
Furthermore, he highlighted the long-term risks: “The current project by policymakers and NHS bosses to replace doctors with non-medical staff on the cheap is already risking patient safety.”
As the DDRB approaches its decision, it faces the challenge of asserting its independence while navigating government directives on proper investment in the medical workforce, which will be vital for the future stability of the NHS.
