How much do NHS nurses, doctors and staff get paid? 

Pay for nurses and doctors has been a controversial topic during the 2023 NHS strikes.

Many NHS workers and supporters believe that wages are not adequate, leading to industrial action.

Following several strikes throughout the year, the health unions have approved the government’s offer of a wage increase.

The controversial deal has seen a 5% raise and a one-off fee of £1,655 for staff including nurses, doctors and porters.

But how much do NHS employees currently earn?

How much do NHS nurses earn?

NHS Pay operates on a tape system introduced in 2004.

According to the Royal College of Nursing, the average wage for an NHS nurse in 2021 was £33,384.

Nurses fall into each category based on experience, each band’s pay is different, and nurses can move up the ladder.

Newly qualified registered nurses in England start at Band 5 and receive a starting salary of £27,055 and just over £30,000 in the London suburbs.

Nurses receive pay increases within their band with sufficient years of experience, Band 5 nurses can receive up to £34,581.

Band 6 salaries range from £33,706 to £40,588 and those in Band 7 can earn up to £47,652.

For nurses with Band 8 and 9 experience, pay becomes much more complex with different pay progression points.

The GGD pay calculator enables nurses to understand what pay they will receive.

Meanwhile, student nurses are currently not paid for the hours they put in during their internship, which has been an ongoing debate for years.

Average pay for NHS doctors

A doctor’s salary can vary depending on their job title, experience, hours worked, and what trust they work for.

Junior doctors train from the age of ten with an average salary of around £50,000 a year.

Junior doctors’ pay has drawn criticism from the public and health unions for not being enough, they are among the NHS who took part in strike strikes

Junior doctors in their first and second years of training receive between £29,384 and £34,012.

For doctors starting their specialist training, the salary ranges from £40,257 to £53,398.

The salary for specialist doctors ranges from £50,000 – £91,584 depending on the specialist’s figures.

General Practitioner salary varies by contract, pay will vary for independent contractors who have their own practice. Salaried GPs employed by independent contractors or directly through organizations receive £65,070 to £98,194.

As a competitive practice, consultants are paid the most with a base salary of £88,364 to £199,133 per annum.

Meanwhile, however, private doctors can earn more than £100,000.

How much do NHS employees get paid?

The NHS in England employs 1.5 million people, with staff costs accounting for about two-thirds of dispensed expenditure.

There are several other NHS jobs that do not require medical training, with over 350 roles to choose from according to the NHS website.

The average salary ranges from £21.19 per annum for Team Member to £76,387 for Head of Finance.

The median wage is just above the national living wage of £01.37.