Doctors’ and nurses’ unions have called on the Welsh Government to match a fresh UK Government pay award for NHS staff in England.

The UK Government announced that NHS staff in England will be awarded a 5.5 per cent pay increase backdated to April.

Deputy chair of the BMA’s Welsh Council, Dr Phil White said that “doctors in Wales, keenly await the response of the Welsh Government and “rightly anticipate” that the rise “will also be honoured in Wales.”

“For too long doctors’ sacrifices have been taken for granted with real terms cuts in the form of years of below inflation uplifts, and this left doctors with no other choice but to vote for, and in some cases take, industrial action over their pay earlier this year.  

“Since then and through weeks of negotiations we were able to reach fairer settlements for 2023/24, for doctors working in secondary care which went some way to better valuing their hard work and retaining the workforce.  

“Despite the fairer settlements, we have a long way to go to fix GP pay.”

“We will continue to work with the Welsh Government to achieve full pay restoration for doctors in Wales who since 2008/9 have seen significant reductions in their pay in real terms.

“We remain committed to restoring that pay to ensure doctors remain in Wales and encourage more to come and work here.”

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales has also called for an “urgent response” from the Welsh Government to the 5.5 per cent pay award for nursing staff in England.

Nicky Hughes, RCN Wales Associate Director of Nursing (Employment Relations), said: “Nurses are the backbone of NHS Wales, tirelessly dedicating themselves to the care and well-being of patients. “Nursing staff in Wales deserve the same prompt action and recognition on pay as their colleagues in England.

“They should not have to wait any longer for the pay award that they should have received in April.”

“RCN Wales is adamant that any pay award for NHS Wales staff must be fully implemented and backdated to April.”