The Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB), which annually advises government on doctors' pay, is late in publishing this year's recommendation. The Government's commitments to resolve pay disputes with the BMA include these recommendations being published by the start of the financial year, which began 6 April 2025.
The BMA resident doctors committee (RDC) has voted in favour of going back into dispute, the first step before potentially balloting members for industrial action.
Co-chairs of the RDC, Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, 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 response, a government spokesperson, said: 'It is disappointing that resident doctors have entered into dispute, but we remain committed to improving the pay award timetable for NHS staff, and we've already delivered on it through our Plan for Change.
'We started this year's process far earlier than recent years and will build on this progress for future pay rounds. We will consider the recommendations from pay review bodies when they have been submitted to the department.'
