Welsh Resident Doctors Approve Landmark Contract with 83% Support

Resident doctors in Wales have overwhelmingly approved a new contract designed to enhance their working conditions and compensation. A recent referendum revealed that **83%** voted in favor of the agreement, with a turnout of **41%**. The new contract marks a significant development in the negotiations between the **BMA Welsh Resident Doctors Committee**, **NHS Wales Employers**, and the **Welsh Government**, concluding earlier this year.

Key Features of the New Contract

The landmark agreement introduces a **4%** investment in the resident doctor workforce, alongside reforms that address working patterns, training, and employment conditions. Among the notable changes are safeguards aimed at preventing excessively demanding work schedules, revisions to study budgets and leave, and strategies to combat medical unemployment.

Dr. Oba Babs Osibodu, chair of the Welsh Resident Doctors Committee, expressed pride in the negotiation’s outcome. He stated, “We’re proud to have negotiated this contract, which offers our colleagues and the future generation of doctors safer terms of service, fairer pay, and far better prospects so that they can grow and develop their careers in Wales.”

This contract replaces terms that have been in place since **2002**. According to the **BMA**, resident doctors in Wales have experienced a real-terms pay reduction of **19.1%** since 2008. With the new investment, this figure is expected to decrease to **16.1%**.

Implementation Timeline and Future Goals

Under the new agreement, pay will transition from a banding system to an hours-based model. Overtime and non-resident on-call shifts will be compensated through a transparent electronic system. A **Guardian for Safe and Flexible Working** will also be established to oversee these changes.

The contract is set to be phased in starting **August 2026**, beginning with doctors in foundation programs and those on unbanded rotas. Core trainees will transition by **August 2027**, followed by specialty registrars by **August 2028**.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, **Jeremy Miles**, welcomed the referendum’s outcome, emphasizing the importance of modernizing terms for medical professionals. He stated, “This agreement marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to invest and modernise terms and conditions for medical and dental professionals.”

Despite this progress, Dr. Osibodu acknowledged that challenges remain. He noted, “We need to work with the Welsh Government and NHS employers to find urgent solutions to the training bottlenecks and doctor underemployment crisis.”

In contrast, resident doctors in England are currently engaged in industrial action over pay concerns. They are set to strike from **07:00** on **December 17, 2023**, until **07:00** on **December 22, 2023**. This marks their **14th** walkout since March 2023, coinciding with record flu cases and increasing pressure on hospitals.

While the UK Government claims that resident doctors in England have received an average pay rise of **28.9%** over the past three years, the **BMA** argues that this increase has not kept pace with inflation, prompting calls for further pay restoration.

The recent developments in Wales signify a potential shift in the landscape for resident doctors, with hopes of improved conditions and enhanced career prospects in the coming years.