Resident doctors vote to accept pay deal, lifting strike threat for Scotland

Resident doctors have overwhelmingly voted to accept an improved pay offer from the Scottish Government, which will make “improvements for doctors for the future”.

A total of 97.1% of members of the British Medical Association (BMA) who voted in the ballot backed the £133 million deal, which will mean resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, receive a cumulative pay increase of 8.16% over two years.

The vote in favour of the deal avoids once again the prospect of NHS strikes in Scotland.

But Dr Chris Smith, chairman of the BMA Scottish resident doctors committee, warned ministers: “There remains much more work to be done to address issues affecting resident doctors in Scotland, to secure their future – and the future of the NHS.”

The deal that has now been accepted is “another step forward” for resident doctors as they seek pay restoration, he added.

Dr Smith said it “crucially embeds improvements for doctors for the future” and also “represents an investment in the future of the NHS workforce”.

He said the deal was “a welcome substantial investment and continues progress towards reversing the pay erosion resident doctors have suffered since 2008”.

All resident doctors in Scotland will move up the pay scale, Dr Smith added, saying that the vote to accept the offer “confirms once again members of BMA Scotland resoundingly back their union”.

Health secretary Neil Gray said he was “pleased” the government had now reached an agreement with resident doctors after what he described as being “intensive and constructive talks”.

Noting that “any threat of industrial action is now fully lifted”, he said this would avoid “any cancelled operations or disruption to care”.

Gray said: “The combined offer will see the same pay deal which nurses and NHS support staff agreed.

“It also includes additional investment in contractual reform over the same period, providing a total combined investment of £133 million over this time, underlining our commitment to the 2023 pay and contract reform agreement.”

The health secretary added: “With Scotland remaining the only part of the UK to avoid pay-related strike action in the NHS, I am now determined that we will continue to make progress in cutting waiting times and ensuring people get quality care.”