How much should doctors be paid? | BMJ Interviews Economist Richard Murphy

How much should doctors be paid? | BMJ Interviews Economist Richard Murphy

Author: The BMJ January 23, 2026 Duration: 35:44
This interview is available in video form: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yNO47EfuEM ​‪@RichardJMurphy‬, political economist and tax campaigner, joins Kamran Abbasi, Editor in Chief of The BMJ. In the UK an ongoing dispute between resident doctors and the Labour Government saw doctors go on strike in mid-December. With Winter pressure piling on and cost-of-living on the rise, do doctors have a credible case of pay rises? And more broadly, how can the economic situation of the NHS be improved? 00:00 Introduction01:30 Doctor Pay Claims04:33 Inflation Measures07:29 Affordability Crisis09:48 Market Forces Arguments12:52 NHS Affordability15:00 Youth Unemployment19:14 Political Priorities23:10 Neoliberal Capitalism27:35 Mixed Economy Alternative32:32 Prescription for NHS

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