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

A. Introduction

1. This evidence has been prepared by the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates (SGHSCD) and we are now pleased to be able to submit this to the DDRB for their consideration.

2. Our remit letter to the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care was submitted on 11 December 2024. This 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, and that 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. We would wish DDRB to work within this agreed framework when producing their 2025-26 Report and Recommendations.

3. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government announced the Scottish Budget for 2025-26 on 4 December 2024. A copy of the Budget is available here.

4. In the Budget Statement, it was emphasised that Health and Social Care services in Scotland are an essential pillar of our public services. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people have access to high quality healthcare when they need it. This commitment to high quality public service must however be linked to both fiscal sustainability and to reform to secure the delivery over the medium term and pay and the workforce will form a critical part of this process.

5. In this context we must also highlight that the Scottish Government also published the 2025‑26 Public Sector Pay Policy on 4 December 2024. This set pay metrics within a multi‑year pay envelope of 9% over 2025‑26, 2026‑27 and 2027‑28. These metrics were set against an expected inflation forecast of 7%, ensuring a level of pay restoration. The Scottish Government will provide flexibility for employers to configure three‑year proposals within the 9% pay envelope, provided they have a fiscally sustainable approach. The Policy acknowledges the updated fiscal context following the UK Budget and latest Bank of England inflation forecasts.

6. Plans around pay in 2025/26 therefore need to be balanced against our continued commitment to no compulsory redundancies and developed in a manner that ensures Health and Social Care services in Scotland can deliver high levels of public service on a sustainable financial basis.