Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration: 37th Report, 2008

This review covers 185,000 doctors and dentists in the United Kingdom. The Review Body does not see any major cause for concern in recruitment and retention. The economic background suggests a period of difficulty and restraint. The Consumer Prices Index will exceed the 2% inflation target, and the Retail Prices Index stood at 4.1% in January. The Review Body outlines the conflicting submissions made to it by the professional bodies and the health departments and the NHS. Following careful appraisal of the assumptions behind the spending plans, the main recommendation is that all salaried members of the Body's remit group should receive the same basic increase of 2.2%. Other recommendations are made on: whether independent contractor general medical practitioners (GMPs) should be within the remit; GMP registrars entering training placements; GMP trainers' grant; doctors engaged in sessional work for community health services; London weighting; and seniority payments.