Junior doctors in the UK have accepted the pay offer of the government by 66%, concluding the longest industrial dispute in the history of National Health Service (NHS).
The agreement is set to address critical issues that have been impacting the doctors and healthcare workers within the NHS, including workforce training and rotational placements.
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The acceptance of the deal, which was proposed in July, follows a significant speech by Prime Minister on NHS reform, highlighting the government’s plans to long-term changes and crucial role of NHS workforce.
According to the UK government, the settlement aims to end disruption caused by strikes, which have cost nearly £1.7bn ($2.2bn) since April last year and resulted in over 1.5 million cancelled appointments.
With pay dispute resolved, doctors can now concentrate on patient care and collaborate with the government on NHS recovery and reform efforts.
Measures have already been implemented to facilitate the hiring of more than 1,000 newly qualified general practitioners (GPs) by the year’s end, reducing bureaucratic hurdles for general practices.
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By GlobalDataAdditionally, NHS patients are set to benefit from earlier access to new treatments.
The UK is also set to become a hub for health research, with the launch of ‘The Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing, Access and Growth’ (VPAG) investment programme, which is a public-private partnership valued at up to £400m.
The cumulative effect of the agreed pay increases will raise the starting basic salary for a doctor in foundation training to £36,600, up from approximately £32,400 prior to the deal.
Additionally, the government plans to review the system of rotations for junior doctors, acknowledging the disruption caused to them and their families, with the aim of reforming the frequency and number of rotations.
The government said it will also collaborate with NHS England to review training numbers, addressing existing bottlenecks and anticipated expansion of medical school places.
The latest announcement comes after the UK government released a report of an independent probe led by Professor Lord Darzi, highlighting the critical need of rejuvenating the NHS.
UK Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “I am pleased that our offer has been accepted, ending strikes ahead of looming winter pressures on NHS.
“This marks the necessary first step in our mission to cut waiting lists, reform broken health service, and make it fit for the future.”
