Government reaches deal with BMA on reforms for SAS doctors

The Government and the British Medical Association (BMA) have reached a deal on reforms for specialist, associate specialist and speciality (SAS) doctors after months of negotiations.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) hopes the move will “realign pay scales and improve career progression” in the NHS.

It also hopes it will address “imbalances” in pay scales for staff on different contracts.

The offer proposes changes to pay scales for SAS doctors on 2021 contracts, with an additional rise of between 6.10% and 9.22%.

This is in addition to the increase provided to staff as part of the 2023/24 pay review process.

I value the vital work of SAS doctors and I’m pleased we have been able to make this offer following constructive talks with the BMA

If accepted, the rises will take effect from January 2024 and will have no impact on any separate future awards decided by the pay review process for 2024/25.

The DHSC has also committed to a £5 million funding pot to help NHS employers create more specialist roles.

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said: “I value the vital work of SAS doctors and I’m pleased we have been able to make this offer following constructive talks with the BMA.

“If accepted, it will realign pay scales, improve career progression and support the NHS to create more specialist roles – boosting patient care and supporting the workforce.”

The BMA is expected to put the offer to its SAS members in the coming weeks.

Dr Ujjwala Mohite, chairwoman of the SAS UK Committee at the BMA, said: “Today signifies the immense progress that SAS doctors have been able to make in their fight to restore our members’ value.”

The union also revealed its associate specialist and specialty doctor members, as well as other SAS grade doctors and some locally employed doctors, have voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of strike action.

Specialist doctors are still being balloted, with the results due in the new year.

However, no strikes will be called while members consider the offer.

Dr Mohite added: “The results of today’s ballot show the enormous strength of feeling on the ground among SAS doctors, and how important it is to our members that the Government values the work that they do.

“Of course, we don’t ever want to have to take strike action, which is why we’re delighted to see an offer that, we feel, is deserving of our members’ consideration.

“But make no mistake: if our members don’t think that this offer reflects their worth, then we won’t hesitate in returning to the Government to renegotiate and, if it comes to it, move forward with industrial action.”

The announcement comes after the BMA and Government agreed to put a deal to consultants, which would see top doctors paid more from January 2024.

However, talks between ministers and junior doctor members of the BMA have since collapsed, with the group set to go on strike for three days from 7am on December 20.

Junior doctors will also stage a six-day walkout in January – the longest in the history of the NHS.

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, said the SAS announcement “takes us one step closer to resolving damaging pay disputes and industrial action which has caused unprecedented disruption over the past year”.

He added: “With a three-day walkout by junior doctors later this week, and more strike action looming in the new year, leaders across the NHS will be breathing a huge sigh of relief that they won’t also have to contend with damaging strike action by SAS doctors in the coming weeks.

“They know though that this isn’t a done deal, with SAS doctors yet to vote on this offer.

“It’s vital that we now see similar progress with junior doctors so that we can draw a line under more industrial action across the NHS.”