Workforce pay and strategy

We deal with all issues relating to pay, pensions policy and terms and conditions for NHS Scotland staff employed by Health Boards across Scotland.

Specifically we:

The NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) and the Doctors and Dentist Review Body (DDRB) make recommendation on pay for their respective remit groups. For the PRB this is all non-medical staff with the exception of Executive and senior managers (nurses, allied health professions, admin, support staff etc.). For the DDRB this is all directly employed doctors and dentists. (Note that Scotland negotiated a three year pay deal for AfC staff covering 2018 -2019 to 2020-2021, and therefore opted not to participate in the PRB process for 2019-2020).

See the submission (evidence and remit letter) from Scottish Government to the DDRB for 2020-21.

There are negotiating structures in place at both UK and Scottish levels for dealing with conditions of service (UK Staff Council, Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee and Joint Negotiating Committees (with British Medical Association and British Dental Association etc.)).

Executive and Senior Manager (ESM) staff occupy the most senior positions in NHS Scotland and their pay is under Ministerial Direction, which means that the Cabinet Secretary confirms their pay settlement each year based on Scotland’s Public Sector Pay Policy.

The NHS Scotland Pension Scheme, which is open to all staff working in NHS Scotland, is administered by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA). Policy responsibility is retained by the Scottish Government. 

More information

The Office of Manpower Economics (OME)  provides an independent secretariat to 8 Pay Review Bodies which make recommendations impacting 2.5 million workers – around 45% of public sector staff – and a pay bill of £100 billion.

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