The Welsh Government has today announced the full implementation of this year’s Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body recommendations on pay.

For HCSA members in Wales, this means:

• Consultants and SAS doctors in Wales will receive a 6 percent pay uplift
• Junior doctors in Wales will receive a 6 percent pay uplift plus an additional consolidated £1,000.

It is expected that members will receive this in pay packets this autumn, backdated to 1st April 2024.

These pay rises come in addition to the awards announced in June, after doctors voted to accept packages that arose from negotiations.

Today’s announcement by First Minister Eluned Morgan follows HCSA’s direct engagement with Health Secretary Mark Drakeford, where we urged for pay recommendations to be implemented “in full and rapidly”, and highlighted that “pay is a key aspect in shoring up retention and recruiting to the medical profession”.

HCSA Wales/Cymru National Officer Gareth Howells commented: “We welcome this timely decision from the Welsh Government on medical pay, of which I was grateful to receive advance notification. Doctors of all grades in Wales have experienced significant pay erosion, and this year’s pay outcome is a much-needed step in the right direction.

“We are pleased to see the Welsh Government honour its commitment to look favourably on pay review body recommendations. HCSA will push for a similar approach in future rounds.”