What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of the 5 per cent pay award to doctors, given the 29 per cent real-term pay cut in their salaries since 2009?
I have agreed to implement a pay award of 5% for 2023/24 for those employed in NHS Wales on Medical and Dental terms and conditions which mirrors the pay award I confirmed in May for other NHS health care staff. This offer was made in full assessment of a fair award for all NHS staff balanced against the availability of current funding.
I fully recognise the strength of feeling amongst BMA Wales members and remain committed to the principle of pay restoration over time, however with no additional funding from UK Government we are not currently in a position to make a higher offer.
When we set our budget for 2023-24, we drew on all our available resources to protect frontline services and provide targeted cost-of-living support to individuals and the economy. But even after doing all that, our financial position after the UK Spring Budget in March, was up to £900m lower in real terms than when that budget was set by the UK Government at the time of the last spending review in 2021. This is the toughest financial situation we have faced since devolution.
Despite best efforts we have also not received any consequentials nor had any indication that consequentials will be forthcoming from UK Government as a result of the pay awards they have made to NHS staff in England.