Pharmacists working in general practice in Scotland must wait for the recommendations of the Review Body on Doctors and Dentists Remuneration (DDRB) and the government's subsequent response before any pay increase can be implemented.
This comes as NHS-employed pharmacists in Scotland have been offered an above-inflation 8% pay increase over 2025-26 and 2026-27.
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But regarding general practice staff pay, the Scottish Government confirmed that it is awaiting the DDRB recommendations, which will inform its uplift to general medical services funding. In the last pay round for 2024/25 this did not happen until the autumn.
Paul Day, director of the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA), told The Pharmacist: 'The PDA wants all pharmacists to be appropriately valued by their employers and paid an appropriate salary or locum rate. This applies across NHS employers, primary care and elsewhere.
'Above inflation increases are needed to enable rates to catch up in real terms to where they used to be and such settlements also helps the overall “market rate” for the role move towards where it should be.'
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The pay increase will be backdated to 1 April 2025 and will see pay raises of 4.25% in 2025-26 and 3.75% in 2026-27.
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The Agenda for Change (AfC) deal guarantees the pay increase will be one percentage point above inflation over same period.
Trade unions must now respond to the £701m deal for AfC staff in Scotland.
The PDA has asked its members employed on AfC contracts in Scotland to share their feedback on the proposed pay increase.
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Mr Day commented: 'The proposed increases would mean our members in NHS Scotland should see their pay grow more quickly than inflation.
'This will be another step towards restoring the purchasing power of our members’ pay which has reduced due to increases of less than inflation in some previous years.'
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