Pay increase confirmed for third year in a row.
All NHS staff in Scotland will receive at least a one per cent pay rise in 2016/17, the Scottish Government said today.
It confirmed it would accept the independent recommendations made on NHS pay and apply additional measures aimed at the lowest paid.
From April 1, 2016, doctors, dentists and all other NHS staff will, for the third year in a row, see an increase in their take home pay – while staff earning under £22,000 will also receive an additional sum to increase their pay by at least £400.
The changes will be implemented after the Scottish Government accepted the recommendations on NHS pay from the NHS Pay Review Body and Doctors’ and Dentists’ Pay Review Body (DDRB).
As the only UK nation to observe the NHS pay review bodies’ recommendations in recent years, NHS employees in Scotland are on the highest rates in the UK.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said:
“Today, I can confirm that all NHS Scotland staff will rightly receive the wage increases they were promised.
“We are committing nearly £100 million next year to ensure all NHS staff groups in Scotland will receive a one per cent pay increase. We will also supplement the pay of those currently earning under £22,000 to ensure they receive an increase of at least £400.
“While the independently recommended uplift is modest, it comes against the background of substantial cuts in Scotland’s budget from Westminster, and will continue to give NHS staff in Scotland a better deal than their counterparts south of the border.
“As well as delivering the fully consolidated pay rise for NHS staff, and guaranteeing that all employees are paid at least the living wage, we are also committed to no compulsory redundancies for NHS Scotland staff.
“Our commitment to this pay increase, and to the living wage, for NHS workers underlines the value we place on frontline staff who work incredibly hard every day to care for the people of Scotland.”
The Scottish Government confirmed that it will accept the recommendation for independent contractor general dental practitioners, who provide NHS services, of an increase of one per cent in pay net of expenses.
The recommendation to uplift GP pay net of expenses by one per cent has also been accepted. An announcement on the expenses element for general medical practitioners will be made in the near future.
The Scottish Government rejected the DDRB’s recommendation to increase the value of Distinction Awards and Discretionary Points for senior consultants.
