Junior doctors in England have been embroiled in a 20-month row over pay and conditions, which has led to a series of strikes.

Almost half of the public believe that junior doctors are underpaid, according to a new survey carried out by IPSOS for King’s College London.

It comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that the government would be entering formal talks with junior doctors in a bid to resolve the long-running strikes.

Junior doctors in England have been embroiled in a 20-month row over pay and conditions, which has led to a series of strikes.

They want a pay restoration deal that will see 2008 equivalent salaries – effectively a 35% pay rise.

The findings of the latest poll show that the public have sympathy with the arguments made by junior doctors, with research also showing that more people thought NHS staff overall were badly paid than well paid.

The Guardian reports: “Dr Nick Krachler, a senior lecturer in human resource management at King’s College London (KCL), which undertook the research alongside the pollsters Ipsos, said: “Our survey shows considerable alignment between public perceptions of NHS pay levels and the claims of trade unions and professional associations that pay levels … are unsatisfactory for frontline NHS roles.”

Almost half (47%) of people surveyed said newly qualified junior doctors – whose salary is £32,398 – were paid too little, while 32% felt they were paid the right amount and 6% said it was too much.

It comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves hinted at above inflation pay rises for public sector workers this summer.

Reeves’ comments come after it is understood independent pay review bodies recommended an increase of 5.5% for teachers and some NHS workers.

Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward

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