Junior Doctors’ Union Agrees Pay Deal with Scottish Government

The union for hospital doctors’ junior members has agreed to accept a salary package from the Scottish Government.

A little over 74% of members who participated in the HCSA Scotland vote supported the agreement, which was announced by ministers last month.

The offer will increase by 12.4% this year and guarantee wage increases until at least 2026–2027 in line with inflation.

The Scottish Government agreed to a new pay review system in addition to the pay increase.

Despite the union’s support for the agreement—95% of members had previously backed strikes in Scotland—walkouts are still a possibility because junior doctors in the BMA of Scotland have till Wednesday to vote on the agreement.

Members have “cautiously” supported the wage award, according to HCSA president Dr. Naru Narayanan, but they “remain concerned that future commitments are still shrouded in uncertainty.”

“We do not yet know the shape of any future pay review process or the specifics of promised inflationary rises in future years,” Dr. Narayanan continued.

In order to ensure that the opinions of our members are adequately represented and to actively build on the pledges made thus far, HCSA and the Scottish TUC have written to the Health Secretary jointly today.

The president, Dr. Paul Donaldson of the HCSA, and Roz Foyer of the STUC wrote to Health Secretary Michael Matheson to express their satisfaction with the Scottish Government’s acceptance of the pay restoration principle.

“It is encouraging to see both a short-term strategy to stop deterioration and a longer-term plan for reform.

Overall, we applaud the considerable advancement toward wage restoration that this award reflects.

“Our members do have some reservations, though. The absence of detail in the procedure lowers confidence.

As a result, our members have requested that we continue to monitor the situation, especially to ensure that the awards promised for the following three years indeed outpace inflation.

“Our members will anticipate that this process will result in a timeline for pay restoration.”