1,000+ New Junior Doctors Boost NSW Hospitals
NSW Public hospitals have welcomed more than 1,000 new medical graduate interns, as an interim pay rise begins to land in the accounts of doctors employed by NSW Health.
The Minns Labor Government reached an interim agreement with the Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation NSW (ASMOF) and the Health Services Union NSW (HSU) to increase pay and enhance conditions for more than 16,000 doctors, with the pay rise landing in bank accounts from February.
At the same time, the latest cohort of junior doctors have joined the NSW public health system, providing a welcome boost to the health workforce across the state.
Having completed their orientation in January, the junior doctors are already providing care to patients and much needed support to NSW's hardworking health staff.
Interim agreement for doctors' pay
The agreement provides for an interim 3.5 per cent pay increase (inclusive of 0.5% superannuation) for doctors employed in NSW Health, paid retrospectively from 1 July 2024, and a further 3.5 per cent pay increase (inclusive of 0.5% superannuation), paid retrospectively from 1 July 2025. This represents an immediate effective 7% pay increase (inclusive of superannuation), with backpay.
Doctors will also see improvements to their working conditions with mandated minimum rest periods between shifts, a maximum 14-hour shift length for rostered shifts for non-specialist medical officers, recognition of the unique training requirements of doctors when accessing paid parental leave, enhanced access to training, education and study leave for new staff specialists; and a right to access to union services if a doctor chooses to. This settles a number of claims in the arbitration case.
The NSW Industrial Relations Commission will continue to arbitrate additional awards claims by ASMOF.
NSW Health continues to work with ASMOF and the HSU to progress the arbitration in a timely manner.
Welcoming junior doctors to NSW Health
Interns are medical graduates who have completed their medical degree and are required to complete a supervised year of practice in order to gain general registration.
The interns will work with and learn from NSW Health's experienced and highly skilled medical staff in one of the world's best health systems.
The new doctors starting their internship will be entering a training program with networked hospitals throughout the state, providing formal and on-the-job training.
They receive two-year contracts to rotate between metropolitan, regional and rural hospitals to ensure the diversity of their experience, they'll also be rotated through different specialities.
The Minns Labor Government is building an engaged, capable and supported workforce, by:
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
"These new medical graduate interns already play an important role in helping to provide high-quality care in our public hospitals. We are proud to have them on our team.
"Choosing to work in NSW means these new junior doctors will have the opportunity to learn from some of the country's very best, as part of Australia's largest health system.
"This agreement gives doctors a pay rise now, whilst allowing a pathway for ASMOF's remaining award claims to be determined by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.
"As this new cohort of junior doctors commence with NSW Health, this agreement provides for better conditions including enhanced protections against fatigue.
"This interim deal heralds a stronger, more resilient relationship between the NSW Government and our public hospital doctors, where together we can build an even better health system for the people of NSW.
"We are recruiting more doctors, nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals, and rebuilding an engaged, capable and supported workforce."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis:
"We welcome this interim agreement with the Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation NSW (ASMOF) and the Health Services Union NSW (HSU) to increase pay and enhance conditions for more than 16,000 doctors.
"We are proud to support those who care for our communities day and night.
"The Minns Labor Government continues the work of rebuilding the state's essential services and reforming the industrial relations system.
"That work began with the scrapping of the Coalition's wages cap which was in place for 12 years, introducing a fairer, modern bargaining framework, setting up an Industrial court and amending the Industrial Relations Act to include a new Object to achieve gender equality in the workplace."
Quotes attributable to ASMOF President, Dr Nicholas Spooner:
"This interim agreement represents a necessary step on the path to properly recognising the value of doctors in New South Wales. It secures improved pay and conditions now, while preserving doctors' right to continue pursuing their case before the Industrial Relations Commission.
"We look forward to a stronger and more cooperative relationship with the NSW Government, one focused on delivering a better health system for patients and the doctors who care for them.
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20260205_00.aspx
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