The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists have settled their pay negotiations with Te Whatu Ora ending months of bargaining and industrial action.

More than 90 per cent of polled ASMS members voted to accept Te Whatu Ora’s latest pay offer which will see members receive the, as asked for, consumer price index increase in base salaries along with other benefits.

"Through our bargaining efforts we have secured members a nominal 7 to 8.8 per cent increase in salary rates which will equate to a weighted average across all salary bands of 5.73 per cent," executive director Sarah Dalton said.

"This will be the first time in three years doctors have not had a real-terms pay cut and gives us a solid platform to continue negotiating for greater investment in our healthcare professionals.

"The work is not done. We had to fight tooth and nail, including taking the first-ever nationwide strike from senior doctors to achieve this result.

"We have stopped this downward slide and hope government recognises the need to of invest in our health workforce when we return to the bargaining table in 2024."

As well as increasing base salary levels, ASMS secured a shift allowance for emergency department staff who will receive a 20 per cent uplift to base salary levels in recognition of their shift work and the worsening working conditions.

There are also added benefits such as increased training allowances to ensure public health doctors can upskill and access the best ongoing education and technology allowances to ensure doctors have the equipment, they need to perform their role.

"We would like to thank the New Zealand public for their patience during the industrial action we had to undertake to achieve this result," Dalton said.

"Our hope is greater investment in the health system will lead to more retention and recruitment of senior doctors and prevent delays to treatment in future."

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