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Press release: NHS Employers welcomes BMA decision on new doctors' contract

26 Sep 2006

NHS Employers has today welcomed the agreement of the BMA to jointly submit the proposed new contract for staff grade and associate specialist (SAS) doctors to the Health Departments for ratification.

Work on the final details is still going on. However, once the BMA has formally confirmed its agreement to the package of proposals, the contract will be jointly submitted by the BMA and NHS Employers to the four Health Departments of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If the proposals meet the approval of both the Health Departments and the Government's public sector pay committee, then the proposals will go to BMA members for ballot.

NHS Employers lead SAS negotiator Heather Lawrence said: "I am delighted the BMA have agreed that doctors should have an opportunity to vote for a new contract that will both improve their pay and benefits and provide them with a rewarding career pathway as an attractive alternative to the training grades.

The new contract would give staff grade doctors a pay rise of between 9% and 12%, while associate specialists would receive a pay rise of between 6% and 13%. There would be just a single grade as outlined in Modernising Medical Careers, with the pay scale starting at 10% above the current minimum salary for staff grade doctors and extending to beyond the current maximum basic salary of an associate specialist.

 Doctors working in the new grade would have a working week comprising 10 programme activities, mostly allocated to direct clinical care with a minimum of one programmed activity for activities such as continuing professional development and audit. There would be increased recognition for evening and weekend work and doctors would have a greater input in how they organise and plan their work. They would also be able to set out evidence-based achievements to include in a portfolio to assist career progression.

The associate specialist grade would be closed to new entrants but there would be contract improvements for existing associate specialists.

Notes for editors

Further information on NHS Employers is available at www.nhsemployers.org

Contact details

The press office provides a comprehensive service to keep journalists informed about the work of NHS Employers.

If you have a media enquiry, please contact the press office team:

• Gemma Jeffcoate
  0207 074 3308 or gemma.jeffcoate@nhsemployers.org
• Emma Stafford
  0207 074 3307 or emma.stafford@nhsemployers.org

For out of hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 07880 500726.

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