"No junior doctor has seen pay cut by 26% in that period".
We are comparing ourselves now to the same role in 2008. e.g. F1 to F1.
No doctor is worth less than they were in 2008.
The pay uplifts awarded by DDRB are across Junior Doctors just like inflation affects all Doctors
"they move up the pay scale over time until they finish their training."
We were at pains to describe that this is not automatic. There are artificial bottlenecks. Doctors also have to demonstrate significant competencies including passing extremely difficult expensive exams.
But lets look at those nodal points you mention (this ranges from 1-10 years of full time work and is not automatic!)
£4.3bn fraud write off or restore drs pay?
£10bn dodgy PPE or restore drs pay?
"A junior doctor in 2008 may well be a consultant now, perhaps earning four times in cash terms what they were then."
Consultants have seen an even larger decrease in their pay if you compare themselves to themselves.
"The past decade has not been a boom time for wage growth in many fields, as austerity and the lack of economic growth has held back incomes."
This I think we can agree on. Wages have been screwed over in favour of a profit-price spiral.
It's long past time wages went up.
"the independent Doctors' and Dentists' remuneration Body looked at this"
You mean the one that said this? I thought we made this point in the interview...
"Consultants earn well more than £100,000 on average"
Extensive training 5 years university & up to 10 years post graduate should command a wage that is commensurate with their skills
High skill high wage economy
Doctors are valuable. Time to value them.
"£80,000 of student loans are often topped up by private debt."
Fascinating how you don't mention that student loans are linked to RPI.
"doctors have to pay for ongoing exams and professional membership fees."
For an article that looks at a lot of numbers I'm surprised when it came to the costs of being a doctor you omitted some details. We went through some numbers with you but I'll post them here.
GMC £420
GP recorded assessment exam £1076
Anaesthetic exams totalling £2,140
And if you fail, you have to pay out again.
These are hard exams, not automatic progression.
Lets not forget that we're expected to move across the country multiple times throughout our careers.
I've worked in 5 regions in 5 1/2 years.
Doctors face relocation costs and instability in all aspects of their lives. The pay is really not commensurate for this disruption.
"But while medicine is undoubtedly tough, it remains hugely attractive.
Junior doctor posts in the early years are nearly always filled"
Graduate and Evacuate
F3 and Flee
CCT and Flee
The harsh reality of working in the NHS bites fast and the attrition rate is tremendous.
"problems appear more severe in other NHS roles is a key reason why the government does not seem to be in a hurry to prioritise doctors"
Using a relative term is really one dimensional.
This government has made the NHS awful for all professionals. We are all suffering.
"If we have some money to give a pay rise to NHS staff...doctors are not at the front of the queue."
Trying to instill FOMO in doctors to rush a poor deal is a really poor tactic. Doctors won't "join the queue" here when they can easily go to Australia for a better deal.
If the government fails to restore the professions, they fail to restore the NHS.
Doctors, nurses, and the public are all in this together.
A record breaking turn out of 77.49% and a 98% yes mandate smashing the anti-trade union legislation that demands POSTAL votes for a significant size of the workforce who rotates on an at least an annual basis is undeniable.
What is more is that we told everyone our 72 hour full walk out first round of action back on 6th January.
It's a coordinated effort to change the shift from high quality healthcare for everyone to an abundance of low quality generalist care for everyone and reserving high quality care for few people.
It's the march to privatisation which is not necessarily a panacea for doctors and I'll explain why and why it doesn't matter what healthcare system we operate in, we need drs to utilise their power in order to continue providing high quality healthcare for healthcare outcomes
Common pathologies have had a great degree of competition and innovation over the years from pharmaceutical and other interventionalist developments.
Common pathologies are kind of bread and butter and easy to deal with now. They're also a reliable source of income for providers
Doctors are desperate to get off the treadmill of training especially when it's less training and more service provision.
Locum work provides simultaneously more stability and flexibility financially and geographically. That's just mad.
Contract work is so poorly paid and valued it is miserable.
Doctors see training like a breath holding exercise. Force yourself through the doors at work, cross your fingers and hope there's no disaster today, then exhale when you get home.
Have you never heard of CCT and flee?
Do you not feel the moral injury that we do as we know patients are unable to get the best care in the best time?
Do you not feel ashamed of the situation we are in?
Do you not feel scared of how your family would be treated?