The Department of Health and Social Care has detailed the financial implications of a multi-year pay agreement for doctors, with total costs reaching £6.2m.
The figures were provided by Minister for Health and Social Care Claire Christian in response to a question tabled by Lawrie Hooper.
The pay award includes 8% backdated to April 2023, 6% backdated to April 2024, and 2% from February 2025.
In total the cost of the pay awards is £2.9m for 2023/24 and £3.3m for 2024/25.” However, existing budgets fall short of covering these amounts.
Ms Christian said: “The budget of £2.2m (6%) in 2023/24 and £1.5m (4%) in 2024/25 was already in place which will fund part of the uplift.
“The total additional cost of this award in 2024/25 including back pay is £2.3m. Following this, the total additional recurrent cost will be £2.5m from 2025/26.”
Budget
To address the shortfall, the DHSC will draw from its broader budget.
Ms Christian said: “The additional funding for 2024/25 will be met from the Department of Health and Social Care’s overall gross budget which comprises both the Department’s own budget and the budget for the Mandate to Manx Care.
“The additional cost of the award is offset by a forecast underspend in the Department’s own budget.”
Future
Going forward, Ms Christian: “Any cost pressure of the pay award for 2025/26, over the figure that is awarded to Manx Care within the budget, will be met from the Department’s overall budget.”
However, she added that her department has “not yet agreed how it intends to use its own funding for next year, whilst we continue to settle the detail of the 2025/26 mandate and the operating plan”.
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