Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration - 2025-2026 pay round: Scottish Government's written evidence

J Conclusions and Recommendations

250. We are fully supportive of the reforms to the DDRB process that were agreed as part of the DHSC offer to Consultants in England in 2024-25 and we would wish DDRB work within this agreed framework when producing their 2025-26 report and recommendations.

251. Our remit letter to the DDRB from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care sets out that we are seeking recommendations for all medical and dental staff in NHS Scotland, for medical and dental contractors in primary care, but not for Resident Doctors.

252. You are aware the Scottish Government works within a fixed budget with many competing socio-economic demands on this. Despite this, we endeavour to invest, but we acknowledge however that the Health and Care system in Scotland needs reform to meet the challenges of the 21^st Century and to cope with the demands of an increasingly ageing population in Scotland.

253. The Scottish Budget in December 2024 endeavours to balance the competing socio-economic demands we face but was clear that going forward, pay and workforce must, more than ever, be explicitly linked to both fiscal sustainability and to reform, in order to secure the delivery of effective public services over the medium term.

254. We invite you to consider this evidence and make recommendations for the year from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.