Resident doctors across Wales have voted to accept a historic new contract with 83% of those who responded to the referendum voting to accept the proposals.
This contract reform includes 4% additional investment in the resident doctor workforce which continues doctors on the path to pay restoration alongside major reforms designed to improve training, wellbeing, and workforce sustainability.
Key changes include:
- New safeguards to prevent the most fatiguing working patterns, improving patient safety and doctor wellbeing.
- Measures to tackle medical unemployment, addressing concerns about career progression.
- Reforms to study budgets and study leave, ensuring better access to training opportunities.
Negotiations between BMA Welsh resident doctors committee, NHS Wales Employers and Welsh Government concluded earlier this year. Following a period of consultation with members, a referendum of resident doctors and final year medical students in Wales took place with a significant majority voting to accept.
WRDC chair Dr Oba Babs Osibodu said:
“We’re proud to have negotiated this contract, which offers our colleagues and the future generation of doctors safer terms of service, fairer pay, and far better prospects so that they can grow and develop their careers in Wales.
“This contract will help to retain the doctors already in training, and also attract more doctors to work in Wales, where they can offer their expertise and benefit patients.
“We remain committed to achieving full pay restoration, and this contract helps to set us on this path, but we will not stop campaigning until we have reached this target.
“Whilst this contract sets the foundations for a brighter future for resident doctors in Wales, we acknowledge the fact that there are still doctors who are struggling to develop their careers and find permanent work.
“We need to work with the Welsh Government and NHS employers to find urgent solutions to the training bottlenecks and doctor underemployment crisis.”
The contract is expected to be phased in from August 2026, starting with doctors in a foundation programme, those in specialty training programmes with unbanded rotas and new starters, before rolling out to all resident doctors in Wales.”
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Notes to editors
More information on the contract
Referendum result: 83% Yes, 17% No. Turnout: 41% of eligible members.
Resident doctors are doctors in training, including those in foundation, core and specialty programmes, as well as clinical academics and locally employed doctors in resident roles. They are a vital part of the NHS workforce, delivering patient care while progressing through structured training.
Background to the new contract
The previous contract had been in place since 2002 and had not kept pace with modern training and workforce needs.
Resident doctors’ pay in Wales has seen a real-terms cut of 19.1% since 2008/09. This contract reform continues resident doctors in Wales on their pay on a path to restoration and taking into account the 4% investment in the resident doctor will see pay erosion at 16.1%.