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| Consultant pay exceeds £110,000 | Consultant pay exceeds £110,000 |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Pay for NHS consultants has risen by 16% in the last three years, with average salaries in excess of £110,000. | Pay for NHS consultants has risen by 16% in the last three years, with average salaries in excess of £110,000. |
| Nurses' basic pay has risen to £26,100, a rise of 15%, while ambulance workers' basic pay rose by 12%. | Nurses' basic pay has risen to £26,100, a rise of 15%, while ambulance workers' basic pay rose by 12%. |
| The figures do not include consultants' private work, nor anti-social hours and overtime pay which can push ambulance staff and nurses' pay to over £30,000. | The figures do not include consultants' private work, nor anti-social hours and overtime pay which can push ambulance staff and nurses' pay to over £30,000. |
| Earlier this year, the National Audit Office (NAO) said the new consultant contract had not improved patient care. | Earlier this year, the National Audit Office (NAO) said the new consultant contract had not improved patient care. |
| Under the deal, agreed in 2003, consultant salaries have risen by 27% - from average pay of £87,000 for their NHS work. The hours worked also fell, from 51.6 per week to 50.2. | Under the deal, agreed in 2003, consultant salaries have risen by 27% - from average pay of £87,000 for their NHS work. The hours worked also fell, from 51.6 per week to 50.2. |
| It takes over 15 years intensive training to become a consultant. They are highly skilled and their salaries reflect the intensity and responsibility of their work British Medical Association | |
| In return, consultants agreed to sign up to set job plans brokered by NHS managers which were meant to herald a more patient-friendly service. | In return, consultants agreed to sign up to set job plans brokered by NHS managers which were meant to herald a more patient-friendly service. |
| These plans were designed to enable consultants to spend a greater proportion of their time with patients and also run more clinics at times suitable to patients, such as evening sessions. | These plans were designed to enable consultants to spend a greater proportion of their time with patients and also run more clinics at times suitable to patients, such as evening sessions. |
| But in April, the NAO said the deal had failed to deliver on both counts. | But in April, the NAO said the deal had failed to deliver on both counts. |
| A spokesperson from the British Medical Association said consultants' pay should be seen in the context of what other trained professionals earn. | A spokesperson from the British Medical Association said consultants' pay should be seen in the context of what other trained professionals earn. |
| ?It takes over 15 years intensive training to become a consultant. They are highly skilled and their salaries reflect the intensity and responsibility of their work. | |
| "Consultants make life and death decisions on a daily basis and are responsible for the workload of large clinical teams. | |
| "The new NHS contract was designed to pay consultants for the work they do however many of them continue to work over and above their NHS contracted hours because they care about their patients? wellbeing." | |
| Strike considered | Strike considered |
| Nurses in England meanwhile are currently considering industrial action over the staging of a 2.5% pay increase this year. The government has said that offering 1.5% now and a further 1% in the autumn is what is affordable, but many want the payment in full now. | Nurses in England meanwhile are currently considering industrial action over the staging of a 2.5% pay increase this year. The government has said that offering 1.5% now and a further 1% in the autumn is what is affordable, but many want the payment in full now. |
| Nurses in Scotland and Wales are receiving the amount in full, and unions say it would only cost a further £60m to give everyone the same amount. | Nurses in Scotland and Wales are receiving the amount in full, and unions say it would only cost a further £60m to give everyone the same amount. |
| According to the NHS Information Centre, average total earnings now for a qualified nurse are £30,100 - some 14% more than in 2004. | According to the NHS Information Centre, average total earnings now for a qualified nurse are £30,100 - some 14% more than in 2004. |
| This figure includes a basic salary of £26,100, and additional earnings resulting from overtime and location payments. | This figure includes a basic salary of £26,100, and additional earnings resulting from overtime and location payments. |
| Pay resulting from anti-social hours means qualified ambulance staff pay has risen by nearly 40%, to £32,100. | Pay resulting from anti-social hours means qualified ambulance staff pay has risen by nearly 40%, to £32,100. |