Junior Doctor Contract Flashcards
When were the 2024 strikes settled? Why?
The industrial action by junior doctors in England ended in September 2024 after they accepted a pay offer from the government. The offer included a 4.05% increase for 2023/24, backdated to April 2023.
What are some key issues detailed in the junior doctor contract?
Overtime: The contract specifies what counts as overtime, during which doctors are paid more. Currently, overtime applies between 8 pm-6 am (or 9 pm-7 am, depending on region) Monday-Friday and all day Saturday, with rates increased further on Sundays or bank holidays.
Working limits: Doctors should work no more than 72 hours work in a consecutive 168-hour period, with a maximum of seven shifts of any length worked on seven consecutive days or four long shifts on consecutive days
Pay protection: If a doctor is switching specialities to one that is hard to fill (eg emergency medicine, psychiatry, GP), or for reasons related to disability/caring responsibilities, then their pay shall be protected at the rate that it was had they not switched for the duration of their training. They will therefore be paid more than a new trainee, to reflect their increased experience.
Pay progression: Pay progression based on experience shall continue when a doctor is on academic or maternity leave.
What motivations were there for the strikes?
When considering pay increases against inflation, junior doctors are now 26% worse off than they were 15 years ago. High levels of inflation have accelerated this.
