NHS Scotland: Junior doctors offered 14.5% pay rise over two years as Scottish health secretary hails outcome

Junior doctors across Scotland have been offered a 14.5 per cent pay uplift over the two-year period 2022-24, following negotiations with BMA Scotland.

The new offer comes after junior doctors north of the border voted to strike for 72 hours in what would be their first national walkout over pay.

The Scottish Government said the new offer represents a £61.3 million investment in junior doctor pay – the largest in 20 years and the best offer in the UK.

Junior doctors have been presented with a new pay offer. Picture: Getty Images

It said that if accepted, the new and final offer will be a pay raise of 6.5 per cent in 2023/24, as well as an additional 3 per cent towards an already agreed 4.5 per cent uplift in 2022/23.

This amounts to a cumulative increase of 14.5 per cent over two years and matches the recent pay award accepted by nurses and other NHS workers in 2023, it said.

Health secretary Michael Matheson said: “After weeks of intense negotiations I’m delighted our government and BMA Scotland have come to an agreement on pay which they will now put to their members.

“Recognising the incredible work that junior doctors do, we have offered a fair and progressive rise which will mean a pay increase of 14.5 per cent over two years – the best offer on the table in the UK.

“We have taken their concerns regarding pay, and the need to modernise pay bargaining more broadly, extremely seriously. It’s now up to junior doctors to reflect on this final offer, and I hope they will accept.”