BMA Criticizes Government's Suggested Pay Rise for Doctors
The British Medical Association (BMA) has responded to the Government's proposal for a 2.5% pay increase for doctors in 2026, calling it "indefensible".
It is frankly indefensible that yet another Government is once again suggesting real-terms pay cut for doctors – an increase of less than 50p per hour for many newly-qualified doctors.
According to Dr Tom Dolphin, BMA council chair, this decision is a "deliberate choice to devalue those who hold the health service together" and a "profound disregard for our doctors and the state of the profession".
The BMA argues that this pay rise is not sufficient, considering the decade-long pay erosion, increasing workloads, and the current state of the NHS.
- Pay erosion over the past decade
- Spiralling workloads
- NHS in a state of near chaos
This is not responsible governance; it is a calculated decision to let a vital profession bear the cost of political failure.
The BMA warns that such a low pay offer may lead to more doctors leaving the NHS or the country, ultimately affecting patients.
Author's summary: BMA criticizes Government's 2.5% pay rise proposal for doctors in 2026.