The above-inflation 6{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} pay uplift for high street NHS dentists confirmed today has been welcomed by the profession amidst continued calls for urgent contract reform.
The 6{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} award is double the 3{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} award the previous UK government had budgeted for. The British Dental Association (BDA) says this jump reflects the threat to the service that was spelled out in its damning evidence to the pay review body.
The professional body last week published an analysis of data on NHS dentists’ earnings and expenses since 2008/9. It showed that the typical dentist in England has seen real cuts in pay of more than 40{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}.
‘Welcome progress’
Shawn Charlwood is chair of the British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee. He said: ‘It’s welcome progress. But one above-inflation increase will not correct a decade of savage pay cuts with no equal.
‘High street dentists have not taken industrial action. They are simply walking away.
‘We won’t halt this exodus without real contract reform and fair, sustained funding.’
The BDA said it has felt encouraged by early talks with the UK government on contract reform. It says that maintaining momentum is key to keeping demoralised dentists on board, and that ministers need to demonstrate urgency.
Pay uplift for clinicians
This comes as the government and the British Medical Association (BMA) strike a pay deal for junior doctors in England worth 22{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} on average over two years.
The union’s junior doctors’ committee has now agreed to put the offer to its members.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will reveal more on the pay deal in the Commons later today as part of an announcement to address a spending ‘black hole’.
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