The agreement for Salaried Medical Officers delivers a real wage increase above current inflation, as well as significant additional support for junior doctors and those working in rural areas.

The agreement will see doctors receive a 3.5% wage increase from this week, in addition to other incentives and improvement to conditions.

Overall, doctors will receive a total wage rise of 13 per cent over the next four years, with increases of 3.5% backdated to April 2025, 3.25% in April 2026, 3.25% in April 2027, and 3% in April 2028.

The agreement also includes:

• A $4,050 base wage increase for trainee medical officers and senior registrars.
• Minimum 10-hour breaks between shifts to help doctors get more time to rest and recharge.
• Guaranteed non-clinical time for consultants, giving clinicians adequate time for tasks such as education, training, quality improvement and research.
• An increase in professional development payments for training doctors in accredited training programs from $8,500 to $10,000.
• Incentives of up to $39,493 to attract and retain doctors in regional areas.
• Formal recognition of Rural Generalists and a boost in their attraction and retention allowances, recognising that their diverse skills and care for regional communities.

It means the state’s most junior doctors will receive a first-year pay rise of up to 8.6 per cent, lifting their base salary from $81,814 to $88,869.

Importantly, the agreement provides substantial additional support for training doctors and key changes to help increase the wellbeing of doctors.

The agreement was endorsed by 72 per cent of doctors who took part in a ballot at the end of August, following extensive good faith negotiations between the State Government and the SA Salaried Medical Officers Association (SASMOA).