1. Discretionary Points are notseniority payments, nor automatic annual increments.

2. Consultants in all specialtiesand all types of post are equally eligible and should be treated as such.

3. To warrant payment of a discretionarypoint, consultants will be expected to demonstrate an above average contributionin respect of one or more of service to patients, teaching, research, and the managementand development of the service.

4. Progression at each step upthe discretionary points scale will reflect the continuing quality and range of the contribution made by the consultant. To attain the maximum of the discretionarypoint scale consultants will be expected to have demonstrated an outstanding contributionto services.

5. The criteria for payment ofdiscretionary points should allow for contributions made in the following areasto be taken into account:

i. professional excellence, including.

- quality of clinical care ofpatients.

- service development.

- professional leadership.

- improvements in public health.

ii. significant contributiontowards the achievement of local NHS service priorities.

iii. undertaking recognised significantheavy workload or responsibilities in pursuit of local NHS service goals.

iv. contribution to professionaland multidisciplinary team working.

v. research, innovation and improvementin the service.

vi. clinical audit.

vii. administrative or NHS managementcontributions.

viii teaching and training, including.

- training of junior staff.

- involvement in undergraduateor postgraduate teaching.

- public education and healthpromotion.

- contribution to training ofother staff.

ix. wider contribution to thework of the NHS nationally.

6. The differing opportunitiesand normal expectations associated with consultants in different fields will needto be taken into account in assessing the level of performance required in individualcases. For example, there will be a different expectation in terms of research contentof many honorary contract holders compared with consultants whose duties resultin limited opportunities for research work. There would similarly be a differentexpectation in terms of the management and service development contribution of aconsultant in public health medicine or dental public health compared with moreclinically based specialties.

7. The resources available toa consultant, including supporting staff and facilities, and any particular difficultiesthat he or she may have had to overcome, should also be taken into account in judgingthe service contribution expected and provided.

8. In deciding payments employingbodies should ensure that consultants are treated equally regardless of their colour,race, sex, religion, politics, marital status, sexual orientation, membership ornon-membership of trade unions or associations, ethnic origin, age or disability.

TheFochabers to Mosstodloch Bypass

JunctionImprovements at Threapland

Overtakingopportunities at Delnies.

The Aberdeen toInverness Multi-modal Transport Corridor Study, and the outcome of a design study for a dual carriagewayimprovement of the A96 between Inverness and Inverness Airport, will feed directly into the Strategic TransportProjects Review which will consider future investment priorities.

The current guidance on car park charging is clear that NHS boards must not introduce charging as a means of generating income but charging may be justified if the income generated is used by the board to cover any significant costs in providing parking facilities (e.g. capital charges, maintenance costs, administration costs, security costs, security lighting, CCTV); to cover the cost of providing new or improved parking facilities or making existing facilities more secure, or to better manage car parking facilities by discouraging unauthorised users (e.g. fly-parkers) but in so doing, measures taken to discourage unauthorised users must not be detrimental to the car parking arrangements for staff, patients, carers and visitors.

We intend to review the guidance issued recently to NHS Scotland.