Specialty Doctor (SAS) Salary
2026/27 Specialty Doctor Pay (England — 2021 SAS Contract)
| Year of service | Annual Basic | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 (entry) | £63,696 | £5,308.00 |
| Year 3 | £73,383 | £6,115.25 |
| Year 6 | £81,804 | £6,817.00 |
| Year 9 | £90,548 | £7,545.67 |
| Year 12+ (top) | £102,689 | £8,557.42 |
Specialty and Specialist (SAS) doctors are senior career-grade doctors who are not on a training pathway towards CCT and consultant appointment. SAS roles offer experienced clinical practice without the rotational demands of training, and are particularly common in emergency medicine, anaesthetics, psychiatry and surgical specialties.
The 2021 SAS contract replaced the closed-to-new-entrants 2008 Specialty Doctor contract. It has 12 pay points based on year of service, from Year 1 (£63,696) to Year 12+ (£102,689) at the top.
The Specialist grade (introduced in the 2021 contract) is a more senior career-grade role with three pay thresholds: Year 1 entry (£104,401), Year 4 (£108,484) and Year 7+ (£115,341). The Specialist grade requires evidence of higher-level clinical and leadership competence.
SAS doctors are eligible for the same supplements as resident doctors under the 2016 contract: weekend allowance, 37% night enhancement, on-call availability, and additional hours. They are also members of the NHS Pension Scheme (2015 CARE for most active members).