Wes Streeting: NHS Pay Deal – Investment & Improvement
The NHS is injecting much-needed funds into itS workforce with a pay deal designed to improve primary care and retain staff. Salaried GPs will see a 4% pay bump, while resident doctors will benefit from a 4% increase, plus an additional £750 – meaningful progress for the medical community. The NHS also plans to allocate an extra £889 million to GP funding for 2025-2026. These improvements aim to address key challenges within the healthcare system. These pay increases are financed by strategically eliminating unnecessary spending. News Directory 3 is following the story closely. Discover what’s next regarding these essential investments into the NHS and the proclamation of the 2026-2027 pay awards.
NHS Boosts GP Pay to Improve Primary Care and Staff Retention
Updated May 25, 2025
The National Health service is investing in its workforce with a pay increase for general practitioners and resident doctors. The move aims to address morale and retention issues within primary care and rebuild general practice.
Salaried GPs will receive a 4% pay increase, which for those at the lower end of the scale, amounts to about a £2,900 annual uplift.Resident doctors will see a 4% pay increase, plus an additional £750, averaging a 5.4% increase.This means basic pay for those entering the Foundation program will rise from over £36,600 to over £38,800, while those at the top of the scale will see an increase from over £70,400 to over £73,900.
The NHS is also providing an additional £889 million to GP funding for 2025-2026, supplementing the existing budget. In addition, £102 million will be allocated to upgrade GP surgeries.
the funding for these pay increases comes from eliminating unnecessary central bureaucracy and wasteful spending, including reducing Integrated Care Board running costs and corporate services.
Beyond pay, the NHS is implementing non-financial measures to improve working conditions for resident doctors. These include better rest facilities,improved access to food and refreshments during night shifts,enhanced wellbeing support,mentoring programs,and more flexible training pathways.
What’s next
The pay increases will be backdated to April 1 and reflected in August’s paychecks, two months earlier than last year. The NHS plans to remit the pay review bodies for 2026-2027 before the end of July to announce next year’s pay awards closer to the start of the financial year.