Consultants accept new NHS contract

Hospital doctors called off a showdown with the Government today by voting to accept a new national contract.

They will get average pay rises of 15 per cent but will be obliged to put in more hours for the NHS before serving private patients.

The deal, struck after more than a year of talks, paves the way for faster modernisation of the health service designed to cut waiting lists.

It was thrown into crisis last year when a ballot of 32,000 consultants and specialist registrars rejected the plan by two to one. But new Health Secretary John Reid reopened talks and offered a string of concessions.

Many doctors feared the plan could give managers too much control and they would be forced to perform routine work to hit targets at evenings and weekends.

The deal offers substantial pay rises, ranging from nine to 24 per cent depending on consultants' age and experience.

NHS trusts will be able to pay extra money to consultants who carry out operations and see patients at evenings and weekends, but no one can be compelled to work longer hours.