Senior NHS doctors and dentists in Scotland will receive a 6% pay increase, as the Scottish Government accepted the recommendations of the independent Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB).
The pay award will apply to senior medical and dental staff, general medical practitioners and general dental practitioners, and will be backdated to 1 April 2023.
A consultant at the bottom of the pay scale will see their salary increase by £5,490, while those at the top end will receive a £7,290 uplift.
The Scottish government said it would continue to negotiate with BMA Scotland’s junior doctors’ committee to reach a pay settlement for staff on these grades.
NHS in Scotland
Junior doctor members of the BMA in Scotland have voted to strike on 12-15 July unless an improved pay offer is made. The Scottish government had proposed a 14.5% pay rise over two years.
Health secretary Michael Matheson said: “The NHS has faced substantial challenges over the last few years, and staff have been working tirelessly to continue to provide care while under increased pressure.
“This award demonstrates the value we have for all our senior medical and dental staff and the invaluable contribution they make.
“It’s crucial that we continue to not only recruit and build our future NHS workforce, but also retain expertise within and this award will mean our staff remain the best paid in the UK – and an overall minimum increase of 10.5% over the past two years.”
Last year senior NHS staff in Scotland received a 4.5% pay increase.
BMA Scotland chair Dr Iain Kennedy said the 6% pay rise for 2023-24 was disappointing, as the latest RPI inflation rate, for May 2023, was 11.3%.
He said: “It amounts to a significant pay cut which will be another kick in the teeth to doctors working incredibly hard at all levels and across both hospitals and GP practices to keep desperately struggling services afloat.
“This year BMA Scotland called for a significant pay uplift in 2023-24 for all doctors, to not only address the severe risk to real-terms pay posed by high inflation but also start to restore pay erosion since 2008. This was based on the urgent need to do more to retain doctors at all stages of our careers and take immediate action to tackle the doctor workforce crisis we face.”
Kennedy said BMA Scotland was concerned the pay review process is not working as intended.
“Our pay survey from last year reported that 88% of our members responding said they were dissatisfied when asked if the DDRB’s recommendation recognises their contribution to the NHS – I suspect this year will prompt a similarly concerned response from doctors who feel this system is just not working as it should,” he said.
“Our junior doctors in Scotland have already demonstrated that the BMA is no longer prepared to stand by and accept this devaluing of our profession and they have already been looking at alternative pay review processes to put to Scottish Government as part of their current pay dispute. I know many other doctors share their anger, their appetite for action and their willingness to stand up for the future of Scotland’s NHS.
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“As a result, we will now urgently consult all our BMA Scotland members to understand the strength of feeling which I am sure this award will cause. It will then be down to each individual part of the profession, from consultants, staff and associate specialist doctors, GPs and junior doctors to decide next steps.”
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