One in ten senior NHS doctors rake in pay of more than £200,000 a year, official figures show - sparking fresh calls for militant health union bosses to call off crippling winter strikes

Published: 18:32 EDT, 27 October 2026 | Updated: 18:32 EDT, 27 October 2026 Around one in ten senior NHS doctors are raking in more than £200,000 a year, official figures show, sparking fresh calls for militant union bosses to call off crippling winter strikes.Data compiled by health officials reveals the top 5 per cent highest-paid NHS consultants earned £223,518 on average in the 12 months to April.The next best-paid 5 per cent banked an average of £203,810.In total, there are around 66,759 consultants working in the NHS, suggesting more than 6,000 are earning £200,000 or more. Around 35,000 consultants are members of the BMA and were balloted before they voted in favour, with a fresh wave of strike action called next month.The data, seen by the Daily Mail, was shared by NHS England with the Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) pay review body this month, which will advise the Government on what pay increase consultants should get next year.The BMA has dismissed initial Government proposals for a 2.4 per cent hike. It is demanding consultants get another immediate pay rise of £16,000 and for their working week to be cut by five hours.This is despite average salaries across all consultants reaching £150,000 this financial year after a £25,000 (28.5 per cent) pay jump over the past four years.The strikes, announced on Monday, will take place for 48 hours over November 25 and 26 – with walkouts potentially dragging on until at least next summer if a deal can't be struck. The BMA strikes, announced on Monday, will take place for 48 hours over November 25 and 26 – with walkouts potentially dragging on until at least next summer if a deal can't be struck Shimeon Lee, policy analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, labelled the wage demands 'completely unjustifiable', adding: 'Taxpayers are sick to the back teeth of NHS consultants whinging about pay while taking home six-figure pay packets most people could only dream of.'Tory shadow health secretary Damian Hinds said it was right senior doctors are 'well paid', but added: 'Health Secretary Yvette Cooper must get a grip of militant unions and ensure changes to pay are paired with minimum service requirements to protect essential services and keep patients safe.'Tory MP Joe Robertson, who sits on the Commons health committee, added: 'Consultants are earning the sort of money that most of their patients could only dream of.'We are approaching winter and now is not the time for strikes, which will cause maximum disruption and hardship. The BMA should call of the strikes.'Many consultants supplement NHS work with private practice, with some doubling their income. Only 18,069 of 35,067 (52 per cent) consultants eligible to vote in the BMA ballot did. Of these, 13,695 voted in favour of striking.Health officials say the demands would cost taxpayers between £2billion and £3billion. The BMA claims consultants have suffered a 25 per cent real-terms pay-cut over the past 17 years.Emergency cover will continue during the strikes, with hospitals operating staffing arrangements similar to Christmas Day.Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the BMA's move was 'very disappointing' and that taking industrial action over the winter period would be 'irresponsible'.BMA consultants' committee co-chairs Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta said 'it's a very small proportion of consultants earning these sums,' adding: 'Looking at extreme outliers distracts from the fact that consultant pay has fallen hugely in real terms against inflation over the last decade and more, and that without addressing this and the excessive pressures of the job, we will lose our most expert doctors from the NHS when patients need them most.'