The deal to end the resident doctors strikes will cost £200 million this year, Health Secretary James Murray has confirmed. However, he emphasised that this figure is lower than the cost of an additional week of industrial action.
Cost Comparison with Strikes
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday, Mr Murray stated: "The cost of settling the dispute this year is less than the cost of one more week's worth of strikes. It's £200 million this year, and that is less than it would cost if we had another week of strikes. Strikes cost about £50 million a day."
The agreement, reached between ministers and the British Medical Association (BMA) on Monday, aims to resolve a long-running dispute that has seen 21 days of strikes by resident doctors in England since July last year.
Benefits for NHS and Patients
Mr Murray highlighted the broader benefits of the deal: "This is good for taxpayers, it's good for resident doctors, it's good for other NHS staff, because other NHS staff have been doing an amazing job stepping up to keep services running when strikes have been happening. But most of all, this is good for patients, this is good for the NHS, because it means we can now work with resident doctors to strengthen the NHS and make sure it's providing patients with the service they deserve."
Speaking to GB News, the Health Secretary said the deal has "broken the cycle of strikes". He added: "We know that strikes over recent years have cost the NHS billions, and when resident doctors have been on strike, other NHS staff have had to step up to help keep the NHS going. Now what this means is that we've broken that cycle of strikes."
Details of the Pay Deal
The Government confirmed that the deal will result in resident doctor pay being 35.2% higher on average compared to four years ago. Just over half (53%) of resident doctors who voted on the deal accepted the offer. On average, the deal provides a 6.6% pay uplift for resident doctors.
By 2027/28, the most senior resident doctors will receive a basic wage of £80,730, with additional pay for extra hours. First-year doctors in training will see a basic wage of £41,226 by that time.
End of Strikes
Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA resident doctors committee, confirmed the end of industrial action on Monday: "Resident doctors have spoken. They have decided that the current offer is sufficient to continue on the road to pay restoration, and sufficient to address the absurd lack of jobs in the NHS. The strikes will now end."
Mr Murray expressed optimism about future relations with resident doctors, telling Sky News: "This is an opportunity for a new, better relationship with working with resident doctors and building on trust so that we can work together for the benefit of the NHS over the months and years ahead."
