Doctors and dentists in Wales get above-inflation pay hike
One union said the uplift 'comes nowhere near addressing' pay erosion over recent years
Unions representing medics in Wales have shared their disappointment
(Image: Western Mail )
NHS Wales doctors and dentists are set to get a 4% pay rise, it has been confirmed. Others working for the NHS will see a 3.6% increase, with each rise surpassing the current inflation rate of 3.5%.
Jeremy Miles, Welsh Health Secretary, confirmed that both pay awards will be backdated to 1 April, 2025. The rises stem from recommendations made by the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) and the Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB) for 2025 to 2026.
The increases exceed the rate of inflation which rose to 3.5% in April, up from 2.6% in March and the highest since January 2024. They also align with those given to NHS staff in England.
However, unions representing medics in Wales have shared their disappointment, calling the rises "too little, too late" and stating they come "nowhere near addressing pay erosion".
Royal College of Nursing executive director Helen Whyley said: "The pay award announced by the Welsh Government today (22 May) comes almost two months after the Pay Review Body (PRB)'s report was delivered to the UK government.
"The PRB's recommendations were accepted and nursing staff employed on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts in Wales have been awarded a 3.6% pay increase across all bands, backdated to April 1, 2025.
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'This announcement has come far too late, leaving nursing staff waiting once again for recognition they urgently deserve.
'At a time when morale is already low and the pressures on the health service are immense, this delay only deepens the sense of disillusionment among our members.'
Dr Iona Collins, chair of the British Medical Association's (BMA) Welsh Council said: 'The BMA has repeatedly provided evidence to reflect that NHS Wales doctors are undervalued and overworked.
"The published pay increase of 1% above inflation comes nowhere near addressing the pay erosion of at least 19% over the last sixteen years.
'The DDRB and Welsh Government fail to recognise that doctors continue to experience the worst pay erosion in the public sector, which is not acceptable.
"Similarly, the underfunding of the GMS contract leaves general practice in a precarious position, with financial remedy required immediately.
'Doctors are trying to get through the longest waiting lists on record and sacrificing their own health to do so, with high levels of exhaustion and burnout reported.
"Now more than ever, doctors need pay restoration, which will help the profession feel appreciated for routinely going above and beyond.
'We will now digest the DDRB report and further consult with our members to gauge their views and consider our next steps. We have requested an urgent meeting with the Cabinet Secretary.'
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