NHS Hospital consultants’ bonuses could be trimmed.
As part of the government’s review of the NHS, could lead to hospital consultants seeing their bonuses being trimmed. Currently some doctors receive awards of up to £76,000 a year.
The awards known as “Clinical Excellence Awards” are paid to consultants who have performed over and above the standard expected in their NHS roles. The awards are given as bonuses on top of their salaries, which can range from £75,000 to £100,000 per year.
Health Secretary, Andrew Langley, said, “Savings generated will be redirected into patient care. We want to continue to reward and recognise those individuals who give outstanding patient care and go beyond the call of duty, but we must ensure that the system is effective and affordable. The NHS must recognise its responsibilities in the current financial climate as the largest public service in the country and this review will ensure that Clinical Excellence and Distinction Awards are in line with other public sector pay and incentive schemes.”
Since the awards where introduced in 1948, the actual number of awards given has been falling, but in 2009, the NHS still paid in excess of £200m for the awards.
The review, which will be led by the independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB), has been commissioned by all four UK health departments.
The British Medical Association said, “It would engage with the review, which provides an opportunity to highlight the value of award schemes to patient care. These schemes exist to promote quality, efficiency and innovation across the whole NHS, all of which are key aims of the recent White Paper.”
John Stanley, who chairs the Royal College of Surgeons’ higher awards committee, said, “Doctors may feel less inclined to go the extra mile.”
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