The Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration is an independent body that makes recommendations to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Health, and the appropriate Ministers and departments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in respect of pay. The Review takes in account the following considerations: (i) The need to recruit, retain and motivate doctors and dentists; (ii) Regional/local variations in labour markets; (iii) The funds available to the Health Departments; (iv) The overall strategy of the NHS in respect of patient care. The consultant body is comprised of the most senior medical and dental staff in the NHS, who have expert knowledge in their specialities. The Review Body concludes that the overall compensation for consultants is appropriate, but has some reservations about existing schemes and believes that awards should not be a substitute for pay progression. The Review Body outlines a proposed integrated package and career structure for consultants.

In the June 2010 Budget, the government announced a two year public sector pay freeze from 2011-12 for public sector workforces earning in excess of £21,000 per annum on a full-time equivalent basis. Due to the pay freeze, the Review Body is not required to make recommendations on the remuneration of doctors and dentists, including independent contractor general medical practitioners (GMPs) and general dental practitioners (GDPs), in the United Kingdom for 2012-13, as all doctors and dentists have full-time equivalent earnings of more than £21,000 per annum. In the context of this revised remit, the Review Body has continued to monitor recruitment, retention, motivation and other relevant matters, and those topics form the bulk of this report.

This pay review of Service Medical and Dental Officer recommends: a one per cent increase in basic pay to all ranks within the Medical and Dental Officer cadre; a one per cent increase in General Medical Practitioner and General Dental Practitioner Trainer Pay and Associate Trainer Pay; a 0.5 percentage point increase in X-Factor from 14.0 per cent to 14.5 per cent, in line with the main remit group; that MOD reconsiders how to best include Medical and Dental Officers in the future Armed Forces Pension Scheme.

Review of Compensation Levels, Incentives and the Clinical Excellence and Distinction Award Schemes for NHS Consultants (Cm. 8518) makes recommendations to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Health, and the appropriate Ministers and departments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in respect of doctors' and dentists' pay. The Review takes into account the following considerations: (i) The need to recruit, retain and motivate doctors and dentists; (ii) Regional/local variations in labour markets; (iii) The funds available to the Health Departments; and (iv) The overall strategy of the NHS in respect of patient care. The consultant body is comprised of the most senior medical and dental staff in the NHS who have expert knowledge of their specialist field. The Review Body concludes that the overall compensation for consultants is appropriate, but has some reservations about existing schemes, and believe

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