Working in HSC Northern Ireland

Start with the Department’s document set

The Department of Health publishes the Northern Ireland 2021 Terms and Conditions of Service for Specialty Doctors and Specialists, model contracts, implementation guidance, pay-progression material, capability documents and SAS Advocate role templates. The reform created the new Specialist grade and revised Specialty Doctor terms, but legacy grades and locally determined posts still exist.

• Identify national 2021, 2008/closed, earlier or local terms from the written contract—not the informal job title.
• Check recognised experience and starting pay before appointment.
• Record programmed activities, locations, on-call commitment, premium time and additional work.
• Locate the national schedule governing leave, expenses, sickness, family leave, job planning and termination.
• For a locally employed role, ask which national terms are mirrored, which are changed and where each variation is written.

Separate the award, circular and payslip

Northern Ireland makes its own implementation decision and issues HSC circulars. Payment can therefore lag or differ from another nation even where a review-body recommendation began from a similar UK process. As checked on 8 September 2026, the BMA’s Northern Ireland SAS scale page showed 2021-contract values effective from 1 April 2025; readers should check the Department’s latest circular before quoting a current figure.

Eight checks after a change

1. 1
   Grade and point

   Match the contract and credited experience.

2. 2
   Effective date

   Distinguish award date, circular date and payment date.

3. 3
   Arrears

   Reconcile the period and recurring elements.

4. 4
   Additional work

   Check PAs, on-call and separately contracted activity.

5. 5
   Pension

   Confirm pensionable treatment and contribution.

6. 6
   Tax and NI

   Check the code and impact of arrears.

7. 7
   Leave or absence

   Verify any interaction with maternity, sickness or unpaid leave.

8. 8
   Escalation

   Keep the written query and payroll response.

Read the amended annual-leave schedule

Department circular HSC(TC8) 02/2025, dated 3 March 2025, replaced Schedule 15 for Specialty Doctors and Specialists on the 2021 terms to clarify annual leave.

• Initial entitlementFive weeks unless the higher entitlement applies.
• After qualifying serviceSix weeks after at least two years in the grade or equivalent grades, or where the immediately previous appointment carried six weeks or more.
• Longer serviceSix weeks and one day after at least seven years in relevant Specialty Doctor or Specialist and equivalent grades.
• Public and statutory holidaysThe schedule states ten public holidays plus two statutory holidays; local LNC agreement may convert the two statutory days to annual leave.

The schedule also addresses notice, carry-over, sickness during leave and work between midnight and 9am on a public or statutory holiday. Apply the exact wording to the individual facts.

Make the actual work auditable

The 2021 terms and model contract govern the job-plan process. A sound plan records direct clinical care, supporting professional activities, additional responsibilities, external duties, on-call work, objectives, supporting resources and locations. Do not treat regular administration, travel, supervision or governance as invisible personal time.

• Prepare a representative activity diary and compare it with the current plan.
• Identify prospective changes before agreeing them.
• Link SPA activity to appraisal, revalidation, development, education, leadership and governance.
• Record cross-site travel and work displaced by annual or study leave.
• Use the mediation or appeal route in the applicable terms if agreement cannot be reached.

Combine employer duties with NIMDTA support

NIMDTA’s SAS Career Development Programme includes an individual Professional Development Fund. Its published guidance sets eligibility, application, approvals and evidence requirements. It should complement—not replace—contractual study leave, appraisal, supervision and the employer’s responsibility to support work required by the role.

• Identify the development need through appraisal and PDP.
• Show the clinical, service or career outcome and how it will be evaluated.
• Distinguish fees, travel, subsistence, backfill and study leave.
• Secure approval before spending or booking.
• For Portfolio Pathway, first confirm the evidence gap and workplace opportunity.

A practical HSC checklist

1. 1
   Map the trust and sites

   Confirm clinical base, on-call base, travel and regional referral pathways.

2. 2
   Map governance

   Find clinical leadership, responsible officer, appraisal, incident, complaints and speaking-up routes.

3. 3
   Map SAS support

   Identify the SAS Advocate, educational lead, LNC representative and medical workforce contact.

4. 4
   Map employment

   Check contract, job plan, point, payroll, pension and leave year.

5. 5
   Map development

   Agree supervision, objectives, study leave and NIMDTA opportunities.

6. 6
   Keep evidence

   Retain contract documents, approvals, job plans and payslips securely.