Government ‘honouring’ resident doctors’ pay deal, says Gray ahead of talks

Scotland’s health secretary Neil Gray says he is “honouring” the Government’s earlier commitment to resident doctors on pay, ahead of talks to try and avert strike action.

BMA Scotland says resident doctors in the country will strike for four days from January 13.

The union has accused the Scottish Government of reneging on a pay agreement from 2023.

The two sides are expected to meet for discussions on Monday.

Speaking on the BBC’s Radio Scotland Breakfast programme, Gray reiterated his disappointment in the decision to go on strike.

He said that, by 2027, resident doctors will see a cumulative 35% increase in pay.

Gray said: “I’m looking forward to having a discussion with the resident doctor committee later on this morning, where we can look at what options there are for us to avoid industrial action, because industrial action is in nobody’s interest.”

He said he disagreed with BMA Scotland’s claims that the latest pay offer breaks the previous deal.

The minister said: “By any stretch of the imagination, by any measure, we have made progress to close that gap in resident doctor pay.”

Gray added: “It takes us beyond inflation, and continues to erode the pay erosion that has been suffered by resident doctors and means that I am honouring the commitment of the 2023 deal.

“And that is part of the discussion that will be held today.”

Dr Lucas O’Donnell, deputy chair of the BMA Scottish Resident Doctors Committee, had earlier told Radio Scotland Breakfast that the pay deal was not reversing cuts in a “credible” way.

He said: “Doctors in Scotland are the only doctors who have not been on strike in the UK.

“It was all about this deal where we compromised with the Government, we avoided strike action.

“We can’t quite understand why the Scottish Government is now tearing up this deal that spared Scottish patients from the disruption that strike action caused, as we can see in England.”

He added: “Doctors start on £17.40 an hour.

“All we’re trying to do is reverse, repair erosion and make credible progress to what would be £20.90.”