This morning’s @NickTriggle piece for the BBC contains a number of misleading claims about the BMA’s upcoming industrial action.
First and foremost, we are not “demanding the biggest pay rise”—we’re demanding that our members’ pay be restored to what it should be.
First and foremost, we are not “demanding the biggest pay rise”—we’re demanding that our members’ pay be restored to what it should be.
“Firstly, no junior doctor has seen pay cut by 26%”
This deliberately conflates pay progression - increases to reflect increased skill and experience level—and cost of living increases—which is what pay awards are meant for.
This deliberately conflates pay progression - increases to reflect increased skill and experience level—and cost of living increases—which is what pay awards are meant for.
Since 2008, junior doctor pay in England has been cut in real-terms (RPI) by 26.1%. No doctor is worth less than they were 15 years ago.
“The BMA defends its use of RPI”—and rightly so.
It’s not just us who use RPI; Govt does also, to increase things like rail tickets doctors need or to work out their student loan rates. It's the best measure to reflect the living costs of doctors & all working people in the UK
It’s not just us who use RPI; Govt does also, to increase things like rail tickets doctors need or to work out their student loan rates. It's the best measure to reflect the living costs of doctors & all working people in the UK
“A more recent start date will show a smaller decline, as would going further back in the 2000s...”
We calculate pay erosion based on when the Govt chose to start bypassing the pay review body and imposed pay freezes and caps.
We calculate pay erosion based on when the Govt chose to start bypassing the pay review body and imposed pay freezes and caps.
It’s also unfair to conflate basic pay with so-called “extras” whilst neglecting to acknowledge such extras cover intensive hours worked at weekends and evenings.
“Doctors remain amongst highest earners” – it’s unfair to compare junior doctors against the whole of the UK. Junior doctors spend years in training generating huge student loans & face high exam and professional fees. This is why they should be paid what they are worth in 2023.
A junior doctor starting their job today would be paid just £14.09 per hour – less than someone working in a coffee shop. We’re asking this be increased to £19 per hour – where it should be had the Government not cut junior doctor pay in real-terms year-on-year.
Despite @SteveBarclay misleading claims, the cost of #PayRestoration is just £1bn or a quarter of what the Government spent on unusable PPE during the COVID pandemic.
We hope @NickTriggle will do the right thing and update this misleading article.
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