HCSA Scotland – the hospital doctors’ union has today urged Health Secretary Michael Matheson to reopen pay talks after 67% of its junior doctor members voted No to the latest offer.

A member consultation which concluded this week rejected Scottish Government’s pay offer for junior doctors, paving the way for strike action by HCSA Scotland members in coming weeks.

HCSA Scotland junior doctor members voted overwhelmingly for strike action in a formal ballot last month.

Writing to the Health Secretary following the consultation result, HCSA explains: "Our members expressed concerns over the limited detail on the proposed Junior Doctor Pay Bargaining Review Taskforce. Additionally, many members felt the gulf was too large between the government offer and pay restoration."

HCSA Scotland - the hospital doctors’ union representative Dr Alanah Proctor said:

“We’ve written to the Cabinet Secretary today calling for the urgent reopening of negotiations before this dispute escalates into strike action within weeks.

“NHS Scotland faces severe medical staffing and retention issues and years of pay decline has fuelled this trend. Patients are being put at risk as a result.

“The people of Scotland deserve a world-class health service. That needs the doctors to deliver it.

“The majority of HCSA Scotland junior doctors voted against a deal which falls short of the call for pay restoration to make up for years of real-terms cuts.

“Vague pledges to set up a taskforce on pay will do little to tackle a real problem which is here and now.”