Supplementary evidence from the British
Medical Association (WP 59A)
Following my oral evidence with the Health Select
Committee on 8 June, I am writing to provide the Committee with
further information on two points raised with me at the evidence
session.
BASIC PAY
INCREASES
I was asked by the Committee to comment on the
assertion in the King's Fund report that consultants had received
increases in basic salary of 49.4% over four years on transfer
to the new contract. The King's Fund Report (Assessing the New
Consultant Contract May 2006) presents a scenario that follows
the career of a consultant appointed on 1 April 2001. S/he moves
up to point 2 of the old scale in April 2002. At April 2003, s/he
would have completed two complete years as a consultant so would
move onto the new scale with 2+1 years seniority, which paid £66,065
in 2003-04 then £70,328 in 2004-05. In 2005-06 s/he moves
to point 4 on the new scale, ie £75,899.
As I mentioned at the session, this progression
is an atypical case. A more typical progression would be that
of an established consultant with between seven and 16 years seniority
at April 2003. This large group of doctors transferred at point
5 and will stay there for at least three years before going to
point 6. The table below shows progression, annual increase and
cumulative increase under this more common scenario.
| Date |
Basic salary
| Percentage
increase | Cumulative
increase
|
| April 2001 | £66,120 |
| |
| April 2002 | £68,505 |
+3.6% | +3.6% |
| April 2003 | £73,290 |
+7.0% | +10.8% |
| April 2004 | £75,654 |
+3.225% | +14.4% |
| April 2005 | £78,094 |
+3.225% | +18.1% |
| | |
|
PILOTING
There were mixed recollections from the parties of the discussions
on piloting. To our recollection, the issue was initially raised
in April 2002 in the context of a perceived need to undertake
joint work on modelling service and cost implications of the proposed
contract and also longer term testing of behavioural change. We
understood this to mean modelling prior to implementation and
post-implementation monitoring of behavioural change. The latter
was the only possible means of proceeding given (a) that it would
be difficult to simulate aggregate behavioural change using pilots
and (b) that the prolonged time period necessary to test behavioural
change would have prejudiced the implementation of the contract
in 2003-04.
As to modelling, we shared with the health departments our
pre-negotiation diary survey of consultant hours and working patterns.
This indicated not only that whole and maximum part-time consultants
were working around 51 hours per week but also showed the proportion
of this work undertaken at various times of day, at night and
at weekends.
I hope that you find the information useful.
Dr Jonathan Fielden
Deputy Chairman, Central Consultants and Specialists Committee
British Medical Association
28 June 2006
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