The Government’s evidence to the DDRB for the 2025/26 pay round was published on 10 December. Notable points include:
Chapter 2 (p6) covers NHS finances.
- P17 – no specific figure in terms of GP pay award or contract uplift has been set for 2025/26, with negotiations with the BMA ongoing and final details expected in Spring 2025.
- P18 – states “The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has set aside 2.8% for pay for both NHSPRB and DDRB remit groups.”
Chapter 3 (p20) focusses on workforce training, education and planning.
- This is an area Londonwide LMCs has done extensive work around, including this report last year.
Chapter 4 (p32) focusses on recruitment, retention and motivation in general practice.
- P32 and p33 tables 7 and 8 – headcount vs FTE: the report does caveat in the notes that workforce numbers are typically highest in September as a new cohort of GP trainees begin their training, and gradually decline throughout the year. However it posits that GP figures are higher based on data that shows the 4,000 increase is almost entirely due to nearly 4,000 additional GP trainees.
- P37 table 12 – all staff in general practice: shows an increase of nearly 14,000 general practice staff ”excluding doctors”, including very little change in nurse numbers, and around 4,000 increase in doctors (see above point about trainees) in the five years from September 2019 to September 2024.
- P39 – GP retention: In terms of raw headcount, the highest number of leavers in the year September 2023 to September 2024 was in the 35 to 39 age group.
Chapter 5 (p45) focusses on earnings and contains information on average earnings and expenses for doctors and dentists working across hospital, general practice, and dental settings.
- P54 tables 23 and 24 – GP pay: shows the average percentage increase in annual earnings for salaried and partner GPs and the recommended and agreed uplifts for the same year (%). It indicates that the average GP partner earnings decreased by 8.6% in 2022/23.
- In the same section, commenting on salaried GP wages and pay increases, the document says: “Salaried GPs should be on a salary no less favourable than the minimum pay range in the model terms and conditions set out by NHS Employers and the model salaried GP contract. In responding to DDRB’s recommendations, the government adjusts the 57 minimum and maximum pay threshold accordingly, but it is up to practices to determine pay uplifts for their staff.”
- P62 fig 5 plots career progress and salary for the current system of national pay contracts for medical staff in 2024 to 2025 and the minimum number of years of experience required to reach each pay point.
Chapter 6 (p81) focuses on narrative around the different groups whose pay is considered by the DDRB.
- P94 – has narrative around GP negotiations post the 2024 contract imposition and goes on to say: “As the action is non-statutory, GPs are not required to tell their commissioners if they are taking part in action or which actions they are taking, it is therefore challenging to ascertain the level of collective action taking place.”
- P95 table 44 shows the % of FTE doctors in general practice in England by role from September 2023 to September 2024. GPs in training grades now make up 27% of the GP workforce, compared to 19% in 2019.
Chapter 7 (p102) breaks down additional rewards.
- P109 – GP pension: states that the GP partner pay shows that GPs are earning higher pensionable pay in the first half of their career and lower pensionable pay in the second half, reflecting an increase in GP partner expenses. So there is more pension accrual earlier in a GPs career seemingly reinforcing concerns about declining returns from GP partnerships.