Is a 20% pay rise enough to halt junior doctor strikes? Join The Independent Debate

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Louise Thomas

Editor

Junior doctor strikes may soon end following a government proposal offering a 20% pay increase.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the British Medical Association (BMA) have negotiated a deal to be voted on by junior doctors.

This deal includes an overall pay rise of 20%, valued at £1 billion, with a backdated 4.05% increase for 2023-24 on top of an existing 8.8-10.3% rise. For 2024-25, junior doctors would receive an additional 6% pay rise plus a consolidated £1,000 payment.

Over the past 18 months, strikes have led to the cancellation of more than 1.4 million NHS appointments and operations, costing the health service an estimated £3 billion.

Junior doctors in England have staged industrial action 11 times in the last 20 months, with the most recent strike from June 27 to July 2 affecting 61,989 appointments, procedures, and operations, according to NHS England.

Is the deal struck by Streeting and the BMA enough to end the junior doctor strikes? Or do you think industrial action should continue?

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