NHS Scotland medical workers get 2.8% pay rise

NHS medical and dental workers in Scotland are to receive a 2.8% pay rise.

GPs and general dental practitioners will also get the increase, which will be backdated to 1 April.

Nurses are not included in the deal because they negotiated a separate three-year package worth 9% in 2018.

The Scottish government said the deal reflected how "the continued hard work and dedication of staff makes our NHS the treasured institution it is".

It comes after the UK government announced almost 900,000 public sector workers will get rises of up to 3.1%

Not all settlements will be UK-wide - with teachers, police and prison officers among those having their own deals north of the border.

Scotland's Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said the pay rise for NHS workers demonstrated that "we fully value all our medical and dental staff and the important contribution they make".

She added: "It's crucial that we continue to not only recruit and build our future NHS workforce, but also retain expertise within NHS Scotland.

"This announcement means that our senior medical staff will continue to be the best paid in the UK. This will help to ensure that NHS Scotland remains an attractive employment option for medical and dental staff."

Every year, independent pay review bodies recommend pay rises for sectors to the UK government and it said it had accepted all of their suggestions for 2020-21.

It means members of the armed forces, senior civil servants and members of the judiciary are in line for a 2% increase.

UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "These past months have underlined what we always knew, that our public sector workers make a vital contribution to our country and that we can rely on them when we need them.

"It's right, therefore, that we follow the recommendations of the independent pay bodies with this set of real-terms pay rises."