Junior docs in Scotland settle for ‘report’ pay supply

Junior docs in Scotland have voted to just accept a “record” pay supply from the Scottish authorities.

The deal, accepted by British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland members, features a 12.4% pay enhance for 2023/24.

This is along with the 4.5% rise awarded in 2022/23, that means the medics will obtain a complete pay enhance of 17% over two years.

The deal – for junior docs and dentists in coaching – brings to an finish the specter of strike motion.

It comes after members of union HCSA Scotland, which represents hospital docs, voted on Tuesday to just accept the Scottish authorities’s supply.

The deal will price Holyrood £61.3m and is alleged to be the biggest within the final 20 years and “the best offer in the UK”.

Health Secretary Michael Matheson mentioned: “I am very pleased that BMA members have overwhelmingly voted to accept this record pay deal for junior doctors.

“This is the only largest funding in junior physician pay since devolution, and maintains our dedication to make Scotland the perfect place within the UK for junior docs to work and practice.

“Due to the significant engagement we have now had with commerce unions, we have now prevented any industrial motion in Scotland – the one a part of the UK to keep away from NHS strikes.

“We will now implement this pay uplift, and will work with the BMA to take forward the other aspects of the deal including contract and pay bargaining reform.”

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The results of the consultative vote of BMA Scotland members noticed 81.64% vote in favour of the supply with a turnout of 71.24%.

For the next three monetary years, the BMA’s Scottish Junior Doctor Committee (SJDC) will now enter yearly negotiations with the Scottish authorities that should “make credible progress” in actual phrases in direction of full pay restoration to 2008 ranges.

Dr Chris Smith, chairman of the SJDC, mentioned: “Earlier this year, junior doctors in Scotland said enough is enough – they were clear that they will no longer stand aside and accept any more sub-inflationary pay awards year after year.

“The robust mandate for putting – with 97% of those that turned out in our poll voting in favour of business motion – speaks for itself.

“Key to this offer, that sets it apart from what is happening elsewhere in the UK, is that the Scottish government recognises this reality and has agreed to ongoing negotiations towards full pay restoration to 2008 levels, with an unprecedented commitment to set inflation as the floor of the pay offer at each round of negotiation.

“This construction will keep the momentum of our marketing campaign in Scotland for full pay restoration over the subsequent few months and into subsequent yr.”

Dr Smith mentioned that if ample progress in direction of full pay restoration is just not made on the subsequent spherical of negotiations or ought to the Scottish authorities not comply with via with any components of its supply, the union won’t hesitate to poll its members once more and take strike motion, ought to it’s required.