London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 31, 2025

Senior doctors' significant pay increase creates tension within NHS

The recent decision by Health Secretary Victoria Atkins to offer senior NHS doctors, known as consultants, a substantial pay raise has backfired, causing unrest among other healthcare staff. This effort aimed to conclude a year of debilitating strikes across England.
Atkins, leveraging her previous Treasury ties, secured an unexpected deal with the British Medical Association (BMA), proposing a near 5% pay increase for consultants following an earlier 6% hike. This could lead to a nearly 20% salary boost for some by the end of 2023-24.

However, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) expressed outrage over this disparity, as nurses and other non-doctor health staff only received a 5% rise and a one-time bonus. RCN leader Pat Cullen has urged for renegotiation, fearing this move will not ease existing tensions.

Matters worsened when parallel pay discussions with junior doctors crumbled, with BMA representatives claiming the 3% offer was inadequate. They demand a 35% increase, claiming their pay hasn't matched inflation since 2008.

Atkins was reportedly disappointed by the junior doctors' reaction. Insiders argue the government's offer was initially generous. Notably, junior doctors received a nearly 9% rise earlier, contrasting with the universal 6% for consultants.

The consultants' pay deal also entails contract reforms, suggesting less varied pay progression. Thus, some may see over a 10% pay increase this year, while those in the middle experience nearly 20% growth, leaving some with just the previous 6% rise.

Despite adding about 4.95% to consultants' basic pay from January, the drawback includes phasing out certain awards, potentially affecting newer consultants.

The BMA, faced with the complexity of the deal and its varied implications, refrains from endorsing the offer to its members.

Amidst the ongoing disagreement, over one million appointments and procedures have been canceled due to strikes, with the impact on patients intensifying during the January walkouts, a highly stressful time for the NHS.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
×