Junior doctors in Scotland offered 14.5% pay rise

Junior doctors in Scotland have been offered a 14.5% pay rise, following negotiations with BMA Scotland. The proposal from the Scottish government covers the period from 2022 to 2024 and comes in response to the junior doctors’ vote earlier this month in favour of a 72-hour strike – their first national walkout over pay. 

BMA Scotland will seek the opinion of its junior doctor members through a consultative vote on the pay offer. The Scottish government considers this new offer as a substantial investment of £63.1 million in junior doctor salaries, the largest in two decades, and the most competitive offer in the UK. 

If accepted, the final offer will result in a 6.5% pay increase in 2023/24, in addition to the previously agreed 4.5% uplift in 2022/23, making for a cumulative raise of 14.5% over the two-year period. This offer matches the recent pay award accepted by nurses and other NHS workers in 2023.

In a ballot among BMA Scotland members, 97% voted in favour of a 72-hour strike, calling for a 23.5% increase above inflation. Any potential strike action would have an impact on scheduled operations, clinics, and GP appointments. Junior doctors account for 44% of doctors in the NHS in Scotland and play a significant role in healthcare delivery.