Press Release

NHS Employers response to BMA decision not to put proposed doctors contract out to ballot

21 July 2006

NHS Employers today said it was disappointed at the BMA’s decision not to allow its members a chance to vote on a proposed new contract for staff grade and associate specialist doctors.

Heather Lawrence, lead negotiator for NHS Employers, said:

“We are extremely disappointed with the decision taken by the Staff and Associate Specialists Committee UK of the BMA not to give their members the opportunity to vote on the proposed summary agreement.

“The proposal addresses the recommendations in the Modernising Medical Careers Choice and Opportunity report to address the concerns of these doctors. It addresses the concerns of the associate specialist doctors. It provides a pay rise, with a rise of between nine and 12% for staff grade doctors and a rise of between six and 13% for associate specialists. It offers pay protection of those transferring to the new contract. And finally, it fits with Modernising Medical Careers and gives a real opportunity for this group of doctors to be at the centre of service delivery.

“We feel this is a missed opportunity for this group of doctors and the service. This proposal was the best and final offer that we could make. We believe it was an excellent deal for doctors that would improved pay and benefits, while offering good development opportunities.

As a result of the decision of the Staff and Associate Specialists Committee UK, NHS Employers will now take this decision to the four UK health departments to consider the next steps.

Under the Department of Health mandate, the proposed contract would have meant an extra £50 million for SAS doctors in England in 2006-7, rising to £65 million in 2007-, rising to £75 million in 2008-9.

The proposal included the creation of a single grade as outlined within Modernising Medical Careers recommendations and the closure of the associate specialist grade to new entrants, with contract enhancements for those doctors who choose to remain within it.

The NHS Employers proposal offered the following benefits for doctors:

·       Better pay with an average salary increase of between 9 to 12% for doctors in the new grade. The pay scale for the new grade would have started at 10% above the current minimum salary for staff grade doctors and extended to beyond the current maximum basic salary for an associate specialist.

·       Fairer and more transparent pay progression with the existing optional and discretionary points system integrated into the new pay scales.

·       A working week comprising 10 programmed activities, mostly allocated to direct clinical care with a minimum of one programmed activity for activities such as continuing professional development and audit.

·       Additional recognition for evening and weekend work with an enhanced rate of pay and a new on-call supplement of up to 6%.

·       Mandatory job planning between doctors and their clinical manager, giving doctors: improved clarity of role and responsibility; greater input into how they organise and plan their work; and a chance to set out evidence-based achievements to include in a portfolio to assist career progression.

The NHS Employers proposal offered the following benefits for employers and patients:

·       An encouragement for doctors to develop their skills and deliver improved services.

·       Greater flexibility in arranging evening and weekend care, leading to safer patient care.

·       Improved ability to manage doctors’ time within the medical team in ways that best meet local service needs and priorities. More efficient systems for including doctors in joint action to improve performance and enhance patient care.

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