Scotland Leads the Way on Distinction Awards Reform

That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Government’s action to reform the distinction awards scheme for consultants, which has seen the value of awards frozen for 2010-11 to £28 million; further welcomes the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s decision that in 2011-12 the freeze will continue and that no new awards will be granted; notes that the move will save the NHS up to £2 million, which will be reinvested in frontline services on top of the £2 million already saved by freezing the scheme in 2010-11; further notes that 2011-12 will see the distinction awards budget decline for the first time since devolution to £26 million; congratulates the Scottish Government for taking the lead in its reform of a UK-wide scheme that is now under review by the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body; strongly believes that the current system, which excludes other health professionals, including nurses, from being awarded for excellence, has no place in a modern health service; further believes that any NHS reward scheme must take into account the harsh realities of budgetary restraints that will affect the public sector in the years to come, and calls on the UK Government and other devolved administrations to follow Scotland’s lead in reforming the scheme and directing more resources to frontline services.