The British Medical Association (BMA) has stood firm on its demand for a 29% pay rise for resident doctors in England, warning that healthcare professionals have suffered real-term pay cuts since the pandemic, despite their vital role during Covid-19.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is expected to meet BMA representatives this week in an effort to prevent a five-day strike by resident doctors, scheduled to begin on 25 July. The BMA argues that the proposed increase is not a raise but a restoration of pay lost to inflation and government austerity since 2008.
BMA Says Covid Service Has Been Met with Pay Cuts
Dr Emma Runswick, a resident doctor in Greater Manchester and Deputy Chair of the BMA Council, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that doctors are earning less in real terms than they were during the height of the pandemic in 2020.
She emphasized that frontline workers were “clapped in the streets” during the pandemic, but have since faced a declining standard of compensation. “Our reward has been a real-terms pay cut,” she said.
RPI vs CPI: Inflation Metrics in the Pay Debate
Critics have questioned why the BMA bases its claim on the Retail Prices Index (RPI), a higher measure of inflation no longer recognized as official by the Office for National Statistics. Dr Runswick defended the choice, stating that the government still uses RPI when calculating increases to train fares, student loan interest, and other public charges. She argued that it’s only fair to apply the same standard to doctors’ salaries.
BMA Chair Rejects Negotiations on Pay Figure
BMA Chair Dr Tom Dolphin has ruled out negotiating the 29% figure, stating that it merely restores doctors’ purchasing power to 2008 levels. He criticized the government for not following through after granting a 22% rise over two years, saying, “That [22%] was supposed to be the start of a journey. Now it’s just marching on the spot.”
He added, “The number is this big because governments have repeatedly ignored us. It’s not an increase—it’s a catch-up.”
Treasury: Pay Must Be Affordable
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones responded by stressing the importance of affordability. He said the government must ensure that any increases in public sector pay, including those for healthcare workers, are sustainable within the broader economy.
“We have to be clear with the pay review bodies and public sector workers about what is and isn’t affordable,” Jones said, noting that Labour has restored communication with public sector unions and honored independent pay recommendations.
