Since my last update to you in June, where I mentioned that a mandate to begin formal SAS contract negotiations had been given by the Cabinet Secretary, I’m pleased to say that negotiations on a new SAS contract for Scotland have now started and our early discussions with Scottish Government have been constructive and productive. As you know, this is a long time coming, particularly as our counterparts in England and Wales agreed on new SAS contracts earlier this year while we were still waiting to begin our discussion. We are committed to ensuring the best outcome for SAS doctors working in Scotland’s NHS and will continue to keep you informed of our progress.
UPDATE – OCT 11th: We have now held three formal joint negotiating meetings, alongside several officials-level meetings. The negotiations continue to be both constructive and productive, and so far we have had initial discussions on topics including job planning, pay and pay progression, and the establishment of a new senior SAS grade. We have a further four joint meetings scheduled between now and the end of 2021.
One of our key priorities for negotiations will be around the recruitment and retention of SAS doctors. I’ve previously highlighted that workforce figures show a decline in specialty doctor numbers in Scotland, and the statistics really highlight the need for a new SAS contract to attract and retain these senior doctors who we cannot afford to lose. You may have seen coverage of the Scottish Government’s NHS Recovery Plan, which has acknowledged the scale of the problems faced by the NHS at the moment, but fails to outline how it will retain current staff, and how to address the huge vacancy crisis affecting many parts of the profession. The BMA is clear that the government needs to concentrate on our current workforce by improving work-life balance, addressing years of pay erosion and ensuring doctors feel truly valued, so that they don’t feel the need to retire, leave or reduce their hours. You can read a more detailed response to the recovery plan from BMA Scotland chair Lewis Morrison here.
The issue of pay has also been in the spotlight recently and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who took the time to complete our pay survey and let us know your thoughts as a SAS doctor. We were keen to hear from as many members as possible on the Scottish Government’s decision to accept the recommendations of the DDRB and award a 3% pay uplift for all doctors, as well as improving the whole pay process. Although the pay uplift is an improvement on recent years, it fails to tangibly demonstrate value for doctors, and to create a genuine incentive for medical recruitment and retention in Scotland. We will be analysing your responses to the survey and will consider next steps and any further questions we may need to ask to inform our position further.
And finally, it goes without saying that this is an extremely tough time for many doctors across the NHS. With the rapid increase in Covid cases, treatment backlogs and the cancellation of elective procedures, we know that doctors are facing immense pressures before we even approach winter. Wellbeing of doctors remains a top priority and an issue that we continue to raise with government. If you are struggling at the moment, the BMA are here to help, or you can also get in touch with the Workforce Specialist Service – full details can be found here.
Dr Bernie Scott
Chair of SSASC
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