Medical and dental staff are to be given a 2.5% increase in pay, the Scottish Government has announced.

The boost - above the rate of inflation - will be included in next month's salaries, with payments backdated to April 1 to follow "as soon as practical".

Health secretary Jeane Freeman said the increase will help NHS Scotland "remain an attractive employment option" for those staff.

She said: "It's the continued hard work and dedication of staff which makes our NHS the treasured institution it is and this uplift demonstrates that we fully value all our staff and the important contribution they make.

"It's crucial we continue to not only recruit and build our future NHS workforce, but also retain expertise."

She added: "This announcement means junior doctors working on typical rotas in Scotland can be up to £6000 a year better off than their English equivalents, and our speciality doctors, associate specialist doctors and consultants will remain the best paid in the UK.

"This will help ensure that NHS Scotland remains an attractive employment option for medical and dental staff."

Last month, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a 2.5% pay increase for hospital doctors and dentists in England, in line with the recommendation by the independent pay review body for these sectors.

Doctors' organisation BMA Scotland had urged the Scottish Government to award consultants a pay increase in line with this deal, warning that a lower award would be the "last straw" for the senior doctors and would hit NHS services.