Hospital doctors working in London, the South East and other high-cost
regions could receive thousands of pounds in extra pay as part of Government
efforts to tackle recruitment problems.
A Treasury taskforce headed by Minister for Work Nick Brown, is drawing up
proposals which would allow the Government to boost public service employees’
salaries to take account of high house prices and better rates of pay in the
private sector.
The move could see a substantial increase in the annual allowance to
non-resident staff of £1,914 – due to rise to £1,983 from 1 April – paid to
doctors working in London.
The allowance could also be extended to a wider area, including the Home
Counties, and even the Thames Valley, Cheshire and Manchester.
The taskforce is due to report to Chief Secretary to the Treasury Andrew
Smith, ahead of publication in the summer of the comprehensive spending review,
which will set out Government spending plans for the next three years.
