Distinction award payments – Salmond’s talk of consultant “exodus” is nonsense

At FMQs today the First Minister claimed that had distinction award payments to consultants north of the border not matched those on offer in England, there would have been an "exodus" of consultants from Scotland.

Figures revealed by the Scottish Conservatives last week showed there had been a 19.5% increase in the amount paid out in distinction awards to NHS consultants over the past four years - from £23.4m to £27.9m.

Nanette Milne MSP, Shadow Minister for Public Health, who questioned the First Minister on the issue today, said:

"For Alex Salmond to claim that a lack of parity in distinction award payments between England and Scotland would have led to an ‘exodus' of Scottish consultants is absolute nonsense. With Alex, it is always somebody else's fault.

"The fact is that in these difficult economic times it is hard to justify a near 20% rise in distinction awards to NHS consultants, particularly when these awards are pensionable and seemingly permanent.

"Whilst Scottish Conservatives are committed to protecting the health budget, we also want to see more money diverted to frontline services. I welcome the fact that Andrew Lansley has ordered a UK wide review into this practice, which will submit recommendations by July 2011.

"Although the Scottish Government reserves the right to accept or reject the outcomes of the review, we hope they would see sense and admit ever-increasing amounts paid out in distinction awards is not what our NHS needs right now. Alex Salmond certainly should not be peddling myths to justify why these payments kept increasing. Our priority should always be to look after the health of patients, not the wealth of well-paid consultants."

1) The distinction rewards system for Consultants is a longstanding financial arrangement designed to reward excellence that can double as a consultant's salary. They are handed out after the decision of a closed-door committee that rewards good behaviour, which can include writing books, setting-up services etc.

They are awarded on a scale of level 1-8 and then bronze, silver, gold and platinum with the platinum awards sometimes being worth of up to £70,000 which goes on top of your basic wage.

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