NHS consultants urged to accept new £132,000 pay offer to end strikes

NHS consultants are being urged to accept a new pay offer to end strikes.

Under the latest deal, consultants’ pay would start at £99,000 rather than £94,000 and top out at £132,000 rather than £126,000.

They rejected a previous offer in a vote split 51 to 49 per cent.

The new deal includes a rise from £105,000 offered in the previous one to £108,000 a year for those in the fourth to seventh years of consultant work.

It also further loosens the Government’s grip on the yearly salary review.

The British Medical Association and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association recommend their members accept it.

Dr Vishal Sharma, of the BMA, said: “We now feel we’ve made enough progress in our talks with the Government.

“We recommend members vote to accept the offer and end the current pay dispute and prevent industrial action.”

Consultants went on strike four times and for a total of ten days last year.

BMA junior doctors are still on the warpath as they are midway through a vote to continue striking for another six months.