Professional by Definition

professional | prəˈfɛʃən(ə)l |
adjective

Engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation rather than as a pastime: a professional doctor. As opposed to an amateur or volunteer.

There are a growing number of trusts who are suppressing their bank "rates". We cannot state this more strongly: any rates set by employers are an optimistic fiction. They arise from the imagination of a manager and only gain validity by doctors accepting them without question. We consider these NHS "rates" as low ball opening offers. The rate card is designed to do one thing: encourage doctors to negotiate for better pay.

If there is one lesson we can teach, it is that NHS trusts will continue to decrease pay while those shifts are being filled. In fact, continuing to take on shifts at ever lowering rates of pay is the only thing guaranteed to drop their value further. Stand up for yourselves, know your worth, and negotiate for better pay for each and every extra-contractual shift.