NHS Resident Doctor
Pay Scales 2026/27
Rules last checked
Basic pay, full time, 2026/27
Annual basic pay for a 40-hour week from 1 April 2026, as the Scottish Government’s pay circular sets it. Every grade the circular prints is here, each with its own scale: three points at foundation, six on a fixed term or core training registrar post, ten on the full pathway. You move up a point each year, and a point marked † is awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance.
| Grade | Point | Basic pay against the top of the scale | Annual basic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation House Officer 1 | Min | £37,316 | |
| Foundation House Officer 1 | 1 | £39,649 | |
| Foundation House Officer 1 | 2 | £41,977 | |
| Foundation House Officer 2 | Min | £46,286 | |
| Foundation House Officer 2 | 1 | £49,314 | |
| Foundation House Officer 2 | 2 | £52,340 | |
| Senior House Officer / Senior Dental House Officer | Min | £46,286 | |
| Senior House Officer / Senior Dental House Officer | 1 | £49,314 | |
| Senior House Officer / Senior Dental House Officer | 2 | £52,340 | |
| Senior House Officer / Senior Dental House Officer | 3 | £55,366 | |
| Senior House Officer / Senior Dental House Officer | 4 | £58,393 | |
| Senior House Officer / Senior Dental House Officer | 5 | £61,418 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance | |
| Senior House Officer / Senior Dental House Officer | 6 | £64,445 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance | |
| Specialty Registrar (Core Training) | Min | £49,217 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Core Training) | 1 | £52,229 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Core Training) | 2 | £56,435 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Core Training) | 3 | £58,978 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Core Training) | 4 | £62,044 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Core Training) | 5 | £65,112 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Fixed Term) | Min | £49,217 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Fixed Term) | 1 | £52,229 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Fixed Term) | 2 | £56,435 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Fixed Term) | 3 | £58,978 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Fixed Term) | 4 | £62,044 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Fixed Term) | 5 | £65,112 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | Min | £49,217 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | 1 | £52,229 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | 2 | £56,435 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | 3 | £58,978 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | 4 | £62,044 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | 5 | £65,112 | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | 6 | £68,184 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | 7 | £71,251 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | 8 | £74,318 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance | |
| Specialty Registrar (Full) | 9 | £77,389 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance | |
| Specialist Registrar | Min | £51,348 | |
| Specialist Registrar | 1 | £53,892 | |
| Specialist Registrar | 2 | £56,435 | |
| Specialist Registrar | 3 | £58,978 | |
| Specialist Registrar | 4 | £62,044 | |
| Specialist Registrar | 5 | £65,112 | |
| Specialist Registrar | 6 | £68,184 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance | |
| Specialist Registrar | 7 | £71,251 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance | |
| Specialist Registrar | 8 | £74,318 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance | |
| Specialist Registrar | 9 | £77,389 awarded automatically except for unsatisfactory performance |
Scottish Government, circular PCS(DD)2026/01, Annex C.
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What is paid on top of basic
Scotland pays the rota through one banding supplement on top of basic pay, rather than paying each hour, and a less than full time doctor is paid a fraction of basic with its own set of bands. Both are below.
Banding supplement
A percentage of basic pay, from 20% to 100%, set by the hours the rota averages and how antisocially they fall. A post at 40 hours or fewer a week is unbanded, with 5% for a foundation year 1 post and nothing for any other grade. The circular prints the total salary for every grade at every band.
| Band | What it means | Supplement against the highest | Of basic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 3 | More than 56 hours a week on average, or not achieving the required rest | 100% | |
| Band 2A | 48 to 56 hours a week, worked most antisocially | 80% | |
| Band 2B | 48 to 56 hours a week, worked least antisocially | 50% | |
| Band 1A | 40 to 48 hours a week, worked most antisocially | 50% | |
| Band 1B | 40 to 48 hours a week, worked moderately antisocially | 40% | |
| Band 1C | 40 to 48 hours a week, worked least antisocially | 20% | |
| Unbanded | 40 hours or fewer a week, foundation year 1 only | 5% |
Scottish Government, circular PCS(DD)2026/01, Annex H; BMA, how pay banding works.
Less than full time
Basic pay is a fraction of the full-time figure at the same point, in five categories: F5 at 50%, F6 at 60%, F7 at 70%, F8 at 80%, F9 at 90%. The rota is then paid through its own set of bands, a percentage of that reduced basic.
| Band | What it means | Supplement against the highest | Of basic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band FA | The highest frequency and the most antisocial times | 50% | |
| Band FB | Reducing frequency and out-of-hours commitment | 40% | |
| Band FC | Further reduced frequency and out-of-hours commitment | 20% |
Scottish Government, circular PCS(DD)2026/01, Table 3; BMA, how pay banding works.
Sources
- Scottish Government, pay circular PCS(DD)2026/01, 26 March 2026, the scale, the banding supplements and the less than full time tables, as issued to NHS Scotland payroll.
- BMA, how pay banding works, what each band means, full time and less than full time.
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