How much do you think junior doctors should be paid per hour

[Jill688]

you are being unreasonable - they should be paid £14/hr

you are not being unreasonable - they should be paid more

How much an experienced one should be paid

I think it's a really tricky question, because we're currently experiencing a cost of living crisis and (perhaps?) a recession, and everyone feels underpaid.

I value what doctors do, and understand they have student debt, but student debt in itself is not a reason for a higher wage - I spent longer qualifying and earned less (academic; we take 6-7 years qualifying and often start out on a 'stipend' of less than minimum wage). Or, if we're going to reward people for healthcare work - and maybe we should! - why isn't my SIL, who is not a doctor or a nurse, but an important part of the team, paid more?

IMO there's no good answer. We just need people to be paid more, and that can only come from holding the very rich to account.

They should work no more than 40 hours a week - who wants a knackered doctor making life and death decisions ? 🤷‍♀️

They should have NO debt, it should be fully funded - they should have to work for NHS for 5 years after qualifying as 'payment'

They should not get paid less than £50k starting salary - basically my wage as a band 8

Taking into account what other NHS and other public sector staff are paid, the pension but also the level of training required I’d suggest £50k for an experienced junior doctor, perhaps after 3-5 years experience, going up to £80k just before they get to Consultant level. That would ideally be with a 40 hour cap working week.

How does that compare to the current salaries?

Where do you take the money from to pay doctors these increased wages (and to hire/train more doctors as more will be needed with the reduced hours?

They are not paid enough!

I think 45k starting and moving up each year.

This is what they’re currently paid, basic plus in the shaded area average actual earnings based on premiums for on call, weekends and nights.

100k, minimum.

They wasted 15 billion on fraudulent PPE.
There really aren’t many junior doctors so the pay rise they’re asking for would cost 1 billion.

we somehow managed to find 5/6 billion to just give to France

I'm in Australia, and a quick google shows what they are paid here.

'How much does a Doctor make in Australia? The average doctor salary in Australia is $156,000 per year or $80 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $124,937 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $253,500 per year.'

At today's exchange rate that puts junior doctors on approx. 68k STG. You can't really blame them for moving over here if they are doubling their wages. I'm in Perth where houses are cheap too, its no wonder the hospitals are packed with UK and Irish doctors and nurses!

This.

50k straight off the blocks.

Although 20 years ago 60k was a good salary for SHOs but they were working 100hrs weeks.

The term "junior doctor" is half the problem. It implies newly qualified, which is absolutely not the case for the majority of junior doctors. Calling highly experienced doctors "junior" adds to the feeling of being under appreciated, as well as enabling the low pay, IMO.

On the left what they’re paid, on the right what they want.

£14/hr -> £19/hr
£16/hr -> £22/hr
£19/hr -> £25/hr
£24/hr -> £32/hr
£28/hr -> £38/hr

I'm from the US: what the hell is a junior doctor?

Vile

This is broadly what happens. 37k starting due to unsocial hours uplift (quoted in news and sources from nhs website) rising to 70+ (and continues to rise) when reaching consultant in a few years.

I agree the problem is more number of working hours. It’s not reasonable or sustainable.

the pay rise is ludicrous and out of touch with reality. It’s requested as immediate too when other services get theirs over a period of years

@Tryingtokeepgoing this! Sorry didn’t spot it before posting.

@Jill688 news is quoting £2bn to implement 35%, don’t have a source sorry

i am very sympathetic and agree it should be more per hour, but as per other posters I do think hours should be monitored and reduced for the safety of all. The salary rises faster than most industries. After 5 years it’s shy of 80k. I think more funding to support training is a better idea but for this there should be a commitment to the NHS to work x years or repay the training fees.

As someone not close to the profession the term “junior” doctor is very very misleading. A starting salary of £29k after all their training isn’t enough. Nor is the £60k or so after five years

29K starting wage seems okay if they have a strict maximum of 60 hrs per week. The pay rate should go up 5K per year with all exam fees, superannuation, training costs, parking met by employer. Adjusted with inflation also of course.
In three years it would be around 45K and @ five years 55K and after ten years 80K.

I think they're paid about right, but it should rise with inflation. Working hours capped though and hospital parking should be free and ring fenced. Also I think post qualification exams should be price capped at a low rate with the gov paying the excess. But the actual pay is about right. Does anyone have the data on the number leaving for Australia/Canada? I've heard lots are planning on leaving.

I think a common misconception is that the pay rises are automatic. They aren’t. Most doctors in training programmes are on relatively short term contracts of 2-3 years. In that time there are certain requirements you need fulfil and exams you need to pass, and then when you can apply for the next rung up. This is a competitive process, and there are less jobs than people who want them so there are enormous bottlenecks for most specialties. If you don’t get the next training post then it’s a scramble to secure another short term (eg 1 year) contract so that you aren’t left unemployed.

The process for applying for training posts is also (for the majority of specialties) centralised. That means you might get offered a job in Scotland, when you live in Kent. If you turn that down because you don’t want to uproot your life, then you don’t have a job. The different pay points also represent vastly different responsibilities, so it’s less of a pay rise than it is a promotion to a different job.

GMC fees are going up every year
so is the cost for indemnity
Postgraduate exam costs are 1000s and rising
car parking is typically £40/ month

not sure how it is possible to meet the costs on 29k….

Well the junior English teachers were I used to teach were paid €55/hour gross. So more than that.