NHS Scotland is not part of the pay review body process instead pay setting is through direct negotaitions between health unions and the government.
Pay for 2025/26 and 2026/27
The deal negotiated between health unions, the government, and NHS employers has been consulted on by all health unions and accepted by all.
Under the agreement, Agenda for Change staff in Scotland will receive a 4.25% increase in pay in 2025-26 and a 3.75% increase in pay in 2026-27. The settlement also provides a guarantee that that the increase in pay in each year will be at least 1 percentage point above the average CPI inflation. If this proves not to be the case, pay rates will be adjusted accordingly.
A reduced working week
As part of the negotiated pay deal for 2023/24, there were several non-pay elements. One of them was to scope the feasibility of reducing the working week to 36 hours from 37.5 (pro rata for part-time staff)
In April 2024 there was guidance for making the first half-hour reduction and the service was anticipating guidance for a further half-hour reduction from 1 April 2025.
However, on 18 February 2025, the cabinet secretary announced the delay of the implementation of the reduced working week.
Staff will still see a reduction to a 36-hour working week on 1 April 2026 but it will be a one-hour reduction at that time rather than two half-hour reductions.
Services should continue to work on how they will implement the one-hour reduction as full and final implementation plans should be in place by October to allow all agenda for change staff to transfer to a 36-hour working week on 1 April 2026.