UK Government plans 2.4% GP pay rise for 2027-28, BMA criticizes proposal

The UK Government has told the independent doctors’ pay review body that it is currently planning for a pay uplift of 2.4% for GPs for the next financial year. In joint evidence submitted to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England stated that DHSC has developed ‘financial and delivery plans’ that currently plan for a pay uplift of 2.4% ‘without having to make trade-offs against headline government health commitments’.

Government Position on Affordability

The evidence provided by the DHSC and NHS England indicated that accepting a recommendation above this level would require significant budgetary adjustments. The document stated: ‘Should the independent pay review bodies recommend an award above this level, we would need to consider whether and how this could be made affordable from within existing DHSC budgets.’

It further warned that ‘Accepting such an award would inevitably have an impact on healthcare delivery.’ According to the Health Service Journal, the government warned that a pay award above 2.4 per cent for NHS staff next year could mean a ‘reduction in ambitions’ for cutting waiting lists.

The DDRB has been asked to make pay recommendations for the pay round 2027 to 2028 on uplifts for contractor GPs and the minimum and maximum pay ranges for salaried GPs. The DHSC noted that the remit letter was issued earlier than in the previous year ‘as part of the Government’s commitment to restoring a more timely annual pay round’.

BMA Response

The British Medical Association (BMA) has criticized the proposal of a 2.4% uplift, stating that it is below inflation and would represent a pay cut for doctors. BMA council chair Dr Tom Dolphin said: ‘It beggars belief that at a time when patients are being treated in hospital corridors and car parks, people are waiting too long for a GP appointment and the Government’s pledge to bring down waiting lists is stalling, ministers are saying doctors deserve a pay cut.’

Dr Dolphin added that ‘pay for doctors is well below what it was 20 years ago, having experienced larger salary reductions than any other professional group.’ He warned that ‘Cutting pay is not the way to tell a workforce you value them, and doing so will do nothing to keep doctors in the country and the NHS, working to improve the experience of patients and performance of services.’

Regarding the role of the review body, Dr Dolphin stated: ‘The DDRB will face a test of its independence, and we urge its members to consider what the NHS and patients really need, rather than be hamstrung by a Government telling them it is not prepared to invest properly in the medical workforce.’

Context and Previous Recommendations

For the current financial year, the DDRB recommended a 3.5% pay uplift for GPs, despite the Government saying that it had been planning for a 2.5% pay rise. The 2027/28 evidence from the government stated that pay awards above ‘what is considered affordable’ within the spending review settlement will require ‘further tough national and local re-prioritisation’ of the decisions already made through the planning process and ‘would impact on the speed and delivery of the 10-year health plan’.

The government also noted it is ‘continuing to develop reforms to general practice’, including wider contractual and funding reforms ‘intended to support the delivery of neighbourhood health services’. It reaffirmed its commitment to the GP partnership model, stating: ‘We remain committed to the GP partnership model and recognise its many strengths, including efficiency, innovation and continuity of care.’

Why it matters

The proposed 2.4% uplift highlights the ongoing tension between government fiscal constraints and the demands of medical unions for pay increases that match inflation. The BMA argues that below-inflation pay rises contribute to workforce retention issues and industrial unrest, while the government maintains that higher awards would compromise healthcare delivery targets and require difficult budgetary trade-offs.

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Sources

• pulsetoday.co.uk: Government planning for 2.4% GP pay rise next year, DDRB told - Pulse Today
• bma.org.uk: Proposed pay cut for doctors "beggars belief", says BMA - BMA media centre - BMA
• hsj.co.uk: Pay rise above 2.4% would hit elective targets, DHSC warns | News | Health Service Journal

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.