Dentists serving in the armed forces face a real-terms wage cut under recent pay recommendations.
The move – which also impacts doctors – has been slammed by both the British Dental Association and the British Medical Association.
The latest Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body suggests a pay freeze for those earning more than £24,000.
Other recommendations include:
- Single living accommodation rental charges to increase by 1.7% for grade 1, 1.13% for grade 2 and 0.57% for grade 3, with no backdating
- Annual charges for standard garages and standard carports to increase by 1.7%, with no backdating.
In a joint statement, the BDA and BMA criticise the decision. They point out that the move is paired with increases in accommodation prices and the inflation rate.
‘Counted for naught’
‘Uniformed doctors and dentists have gone above and beyond throughout the pandemic,’ said BDA Eddie Crouch and chair of the BMA, Chaand Nagpul.
‘Whether serving side‐by‐side with doctors in NHS settings, or in Defence Primary Healthcare and single service medical units; leading the acceleration of the national vaccination programme, or playing a crucial role in the establishment of the Nightingale hospitals – both at home and overseas. However, it would appear their hard work and dedication have counted for naught.’
For personnel earning £24,000 or less, a pay increase of £250 is recommended from 1 April 2021.
They added: ‘While described as an independent pay review body, the AFPRB has evidently felt constrained by the Government’s directions and simply accepted their imposed pay restraint, rather than behaving with independence.
‘We engaged with the pay review process in good faith; we leave it feeling our evidence has been ignored.
‘Uniformed doctors and dentists have been denied parity with their civilian colleagues. The lack of a pay offer is not only inadequate but fundamentally unfair, and runs counter to the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant.’
You can read the full review here.
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.
