Government ‘likely’ to only offer additional 4% GP pay uplift, says BMA

The BMA says a further GP pay uplift of 4% for this financial year is ‘likely’ following a recommendation from the doctors’ pay review body in July.

This would mean GP practices receive a total uplift of just 5.9% for 2024/25, including the 1.9% already announced as part of this year’s contract imposition. 

NHS England advised in February that a ‘further uplift may be made’ following the Government’s response to the Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB) report which is expected in July.

The report, which will include a recommendation on GP partner pay for the first time in five years, is therefore likely to fall in the middle of the BMA GP Committee England’s current ballot for collective action.

It will also come after the general election on 4 July, which the GPCE has said ‘does not change’ industrial action plans. 

In a message to GPs, GPCE chair Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer pointed out that NHS England has advised that a further uplift should be 2%, but she revealed primary care minister Andrea Leadon ‘hoped’ for ‘maybe 4% more, pending Treasury approval’. 

She added: ‘We reckon 4% is likely. It’s the same as last year (4% + 1.9% = 5.9%) Remember last year? Was it enough? No it wasn’t.’ 

In order for GP practices to have the ‘equivalent’ funding they had five years ago, partners would ‘need a DDRB award of at least 11%’, according to the GPCE chair. 

‘That is how much [money] has eroded in the past five years and why a majority of practices are now fighting for their existence, unable to increase staff salaries and unable to afford locums.’

She also warned that any new government, following the general election, is ‘unlikely’ to offer any more than 4%.

In her speech at the UK LMCs conference on Friday, Dr Bramall-Stainer said last year’s 6% pay uplift was ‘an absolute car crash’.

‘Now, will Labour suddenly double that? No, of course they’re not going to,’ she told attendees. 

Dr Bramall-Stainer continued: ‘So what is 6%? It is £660m less than in 2018/19. If you want to be on a level to where you were five years ago, you need 12%. Who’s going to deliver that for you?

‘Nobody is, no matter what party they are. They’re not going to do it until they have to and they’re not going to agree to anything once they’re in government.

‘Now is the window of opportunity, and this is why we have to get every political party to agree to terms for a new contract in England because otherwise we’re on a hiding to nothing.’

Last month, NHS England warned the DDRB against recommending a GP pay increase above 2%, advising that pay awards higher than the organisation’s funding settlement from the Treasury will ‘put further pressure’ on the NHS budget. 

But NHS England’s primary care director Dr Amanda Doyle had previously admitted that the GP contract changes this year ‘will only make a tiny difference’ to practices.