Pay scale

Pay scales for clinical academic staff

Updated on 15 December 2023

Salary scales for clinical academic staff from 1 April 2022.

On this page
  • The pay scales for medical and dental consultants have been uplifted by 6.0% to basic pay.
  • The pay scales for doctors and dentists in training have been uplifted by 12.4% to basic pay.
  • The values of distinction awards and discretionary points for consultants are unchanged from last year.

Clinical academics below the level of consultant (pre 2009 scale) and Senior Lecturer / Reader Scale

Clinical Lecturer

This salary scale applies to clinical lecturers only. If HEIs wish to apply the scale to other clinical staff than clinical lecturers that is a matter for local determination

  • † This salary scale applies to clinical lecturers only. If HEIs wish to apply the scale to other clinical staff than clinical lecturers that is a matter for local determination
  • § These points are HE specific pay scales that have no NHS equivalent. A 12.4% increase has been applied in line with the latest NHS Scotland Pay Circular.
  • *This point was introduced on 1 April 2002 and relates only to dentists paid on clinical academic pay scales
Spine point Salary from 01/04/2023 Salary from 01/04/2022
1 £42,770 £38,051
2 £44,889 £39,936
3 £47,007 £41,821
4 £49,126 £43,706
5 £51,680 £45,978
6 £54,235 £48,251
7 £56,793 £50,527
8 £59,348 £52,800
9 £61,903 £55,073
10§ £68,545 £60,983
11§ £74,054 £65,884
12§* £79,563 £70,785

 

Senior Lecturer/Reader

These points are HE specific pay scales that have no NHS equivalent. A 4.5% increase has been applied in line with the latest NHS Scotland Pay Circular.

Salary from 01/04/2023 Salary from 01/04/2022
£68,545 £60,983
£74,054 £65,884
£79,563 £70,785
£85,077 £75,691
£92,107 £81,945
£96,963 £86,266

Clinical academics below the level of consultant (post 2009 scale) and Senior Lecturer / Reader Scale

Clinical lecturer

This salary scale applies to clinical lecturers only. If HEIs wish to apply the scale to other clinical staff than clinical lecturers that is a matter for local determination.

  • † This salary scale applies to clinical lecturers only. If HEIs wish to apply the scale to other clinical staff than clinical lecturers that is a matter for local determination
  • § These points are HE specific pay scales that have no NHS equivalent. A 12.4% increase has been applied in line with the latest NHS Scotland Pay Circular.
  • *This point was introduced on 1 April 2002 and relates only to dentists paid on clinical academic pay scales.
  01/04/23 01/04/22
1 £43,504 £38,704
2 £47,007 £41,821
3 £49,126 £43,706
4 £51,680 £45,978
5 £54,235 £48,251
6 £56,793 £50,527
7 £59,348 £52,800
8 £61,903 £55,073
9 £64,461 £57,349
§10 £71,216 £63,359
§11 £76,942 £68,453
§*12 £82,664 £73,544

Senior Lecturer/ Reader

These points are HE specific pay scales that have no NHS equivalent. A 12.4% increase has been applied in line with the latest NHS Scotland Pay Circular.

01/04/23 01/04/22
£68,545 £60,983
£74,054 £65,884
£79,563 £70,785
£85,077 £75,691
£92,107 £81,945
£96,963 £86,266

Staff holding honorary consultant contract (pre-2004 contract)

Incremental points 01/04/23 01/04/22
Minimum £80,505 £75,948
1st £86,268 £81,384
2nd £92,028 £86,818
3rd £97,790 £92,254
4th £103,242 £97,398

New consultant contract

Basic salary for staff holding honorary consultant contracts whose first appointment to a post on the consultant grade was on or after 1 April 2004 / pay arrangements for new honorary consultants

Seniority point Pay point Salary  
    01/04/23 01/04/22
1 1 £96,963 £91,474
2 2 £99,011 £93,406
3 3 £101,957 £96,185
4 4 £104,906 £98,967
5 5 £107,846 £101,741
6 5 £107,846 £101,741
7 5 £107,846 £101,741
8 5 £107,846 £101,741
9 5 £107,846 £101,741
10 6 £114,846 £108,345
11 6 £114,846 £108,345
12 6 £114,846 £108,345
13 6 £114,846 £108,345
14 6 £114,846 £108,345
15 7 £121,846 £114,949
16 7 £121,846 £114,949
17 7 £121,846 £114,949
18 7 £121,846 £114,949
19 7 £121,846 £114,949
20 8 £128,841 £121,548

Transitional pay arrangements based on 2022-2023 rates for staff holding honorary consultant contracts

Staff who transferred to the 2004 consultant contract under the provisions of paragraphs 14.2.3, 14.2.4, 14.2.6 of the terms and conditions of service for consultant grade staff in Scotland

Seniority (years) as at 1 April 2003 Current Salaries / Interval (years) Basic Salary (2022) Basic Salary (2021)
1 From 1 April 2022 * £121,548 £116,313

*(or anniversary of appointment is appointed after 1 April 2003)

The transition period has ended.

Transitional pay arrangements for staff holding honorary consultant contracts who transferred to the 2004 consultant contract before 1 April 2008 under the provisions of paragraphs 14.2.7 to 14.2.9 of the terms and conditions of service for consultant grade staff in Scotland.

Salary upon transfer based on 2023-24 rates

Spine point Seniority (years) 2023/24 rates 2022/23 rates
0 1 £96,963 £91,474
1 2 £97,722 £92,190
2 3 £98,479 £92,904
3 4 £98,479 £92,904
4 (<1 year @ max) 5 £104,906 £98,967
4 (+1 year @ max) 6 £106,378 £100,356
4 (+ 2-24 years @ max) 7-29 £107,846 £101,741
4 (>25 years @ max) 30+ £114, 846 £108,345

Subsequent pay progression based on 2023-24 rates

Seniority (years) Interval (years) 2023/24 Basic salary 2022/23 Basic salary
30+ 1 121,846 £114,949
  1 128,841 £121,548
21 – 29 1 114,846 £108,345
  1 121,846 £114,949
  1 128,841 £121,548
20 1 114,846 £108,345
  2 121,846 £114,949
  1 128,841 £121,548
19 1 114,846 £108,345
  2 121,846 £114,949
  2 128,841 £121,548
18 2 114,846 £108,345
  1 121,846 £114,949
  2 128,841 £121,548
17 2 114,846 £108,345
  2 121,846 £114,949
  2 128,841 £121,548
16 3 114,846 £108,345
  1 121,846 £114,949
  3 128,841 £121,548
15 3 114,846 £108,345
  1 121,846 £114,949
  4 128,841 £121,548
14 3 114,846 £108,345
  2 121,846 £114,949
  4 128,841 £121,548
13 3 114,846 £108,345
  2 121,846 £114,949
  5 128,841 £121,548
Seniority (years) Interval (years) 2023/24 Basic Salary 2022/23 Basic Salary
12 3 £114,846 £108,345
  3 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
11 4 £114,846 £108,345
  3 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
10 4 £114,846 £108,345
  4 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
9 4 £114,846 £108,345
  5 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
7 to 8 5 £114,846 £108,345
  5 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
6 1 £107,846 £101,741
  4 £114,846 £108,345
  5 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
5 1* £106,378 £100,356 *
  1 £107,846 £101,741
  4 £114,846 £108,345
  5 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
4 1 £101,957 £96,185
  1 £104,906 £98,967
  1 £107,846 £101,741
  3 £114,846 £108,345
  5 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
3 1* £128,841 £94,795 *
  1 £104,906 £98,967
  1 £107,846 £101,741
  4 £114,846 £108,345
  5 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
2 1 £99,011 £93,406
  1 £104,906 £98,967
  1 £107,846 £101,741
  5 £114,846 £108,345
  5 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548
1 1* £98,479 £92,904 *
  1 £101,957 £96,185
  1 £104,906 £98,967
  1 £107,846 £101,741
  5 £114,846 £108,345
  5 £121,846 £114,949
  5 £128,841 £121,548

*for consultants with seniority of 1, 3 or 5 years on transition, the first pay threshold is for transitional purposes

Consultants – additional/discretionary points

There has been no increase in the value of discretionary points in this pay round.

  01/04/23 01/04/22
1 £3,204 £3,204
2 £6,408 £6,408
3 £9,612 £9,612
4 £12,816 £12,816
5 £16,020 £16,020
6 £19,224 £19,224
7 £22,428 £22,428
8 £25,632 £25,632

Consultants – distinction awards

There has been no increase in the value of distinction awards in this pay round.

  01/04/23 01/04/22
A+ £75,889 £75,889
A £55,924 £55,924
B £55,924 £55,924
From People
Corporate information category Payroll