The Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) is an independent body that makes annual recommendations to the UK government on the pay of NHS doctors and dentists. Established in 1960 following the Royal Commission on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration, the DDRB reviews evidence from the government, NHS organisations, and trade unions such as the BMA. Its remit is to ensure that pay awards support recruitment, retention, and motivation within the NHS workforce, while taking into account affordability and wider economic factors.
Each year, the DDRB publishes a report with its recommendations. The government then issues a formal response and sets pay uplifts, which are reflected in GP contract negotiations for the upcoming year. For example, the 2025/26 GP contract incorporates pay uplifts informed by the latest DDRB report alongside other negotiated changes.
Over the years the role of the DDRB has been criticised but it is one of the few non-departmental public bodies now well into its seventh decade, so it has undoubtedly fulfilled its purpose, although probably this is in part due to the challenge of establishing an alternative.
Key points about the DDRB:
- Independent advisory body reporting to the Prime Minister and health ministers.
- Considers workforce evidence and economic factors when making recommendations.
- Influences annual GP contract funding and uplifts.
- Reports are published publicly, usually in the summer.