Resident doctors have today appealed to NHS trusts across England to pay the money owed to them in November without further delay. 

Following the July pay deal between the Government and the BMA’s resident doctors committee (RDC) it was agreed that resident doctors would receive their backpay for 2023/24 and 2024/25 in their November 2024 pay packets. 

However, some doctors who open their payslips today will find they have not been paid what they should have been. Doctors at several hospitals have reported that their trusts have failed to process this backpay on time, especially where doctors have moved place of employment in the last year or have come back from maternity leave.

Payments ranging up to thousands of pounds may be delayed for months or need to be manually applied for by individual doctors, with payroll departments claiming the calculations have been too complex to manage.

Resident doctors committee (RDC) co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said:

“Doctors should not have to chase the NHS for their pay packets. We negotiated a deal with Government in good faith and subsequently received reassurances that backpay would be paid in November. Now doctors are facing up to thousands of pounds in missing or late pay. As Christmas approaches many will be unable make financial plans at the worst possible time. It’s hard to budget for your train ticket home to see family when you don’t know what you’re being paid in November.

“This is not acceptable behaviour from any employer but to see it from so many NHS trusts beggars belief. We have heard all kinds of justification for the delays, and we recognise that this will be an unusual pay run. But trusts have known that this was coming for months and have no excuse.

“NHS Employers made clear that backpay should be paid to all staff, including former staff, automatically and in November. Why then should hard-working doctors have to suffer for the organisational failures of their trusts"

“We are urging affected doctors to write to their trusts reminding them of their obligations, and to contact their local BMA rep if they are concerned. We are working with NHS Employers and Government with the aim of getting trusts to do the right thing and pay doctors properly before the month is out.” 

Notes to editors

Some of the trusts where this issue has been reported include:

• South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

• St George's University Hospitals (London)

• University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire

• Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

• Royal Sussex County Hospital (Brighton) 

• Oxford University Hospitals

• East Sussex NHS Foundation Trust

• Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

• University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

• University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group

• University Hospitals Birmingham

• East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

• Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice advocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.

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