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QLD Staff Specialist Pay 2026–27

Queensland Health calls consultant-level specialist doctors 'Staff Specialists' (occasionally 'Senior Staff Specialists' at the most senior levels). They are employed under the Medical Officers' (Queensland Health) Certified Agreement No.7 2025 (MOCA7) on an L-number pay scale. A dedicated VMO agreement (VMO1 2023) covers sessional visiting specialists.

Last updated: 2026-07-04

By Jacob Stretton — RN & final-year medical student · figures sourced from the public EBAs & the ATO · About & methodology →

Key takeaways

QLD Staff Specialist base salaries run $222,059–$281,545 (L18–L27) under MOCA7's certified rates payable from 1 July 2026; the levels above L27 reach $309,304 (L29).
Professional Development Allowance of $22,145/year is one of the highest PDA rates of any eastern state for specialist-level doctors.
Rural Attraction and Retention Allowance of up to 40% (raised from 35% on 1 July 2026 under MOCA7) applies for eligible rural and remote positions.
QLD VMO1 2023 sets confirmed specialist sessional rates: $804–$956 per 4-hour session (1 July 2025, 48% loaded) — one of the few states with a formally published sessional rate schedule.

Which model applies?

Most Queensland specialists work as Staff Specialists, VMOs, or hold concurrent appointments across both models. For a national overview of how the two employment models differ on pay, leave, super and private practice, see staff specialist vs VMO explained.

Staff Specialist

Salaried employee of Queensland Health. L18–L27 pay scale + Professional Development Allowance of $22,145/year. Annual leave loading, rural attraction allowances, and private practice access via hospital arrangement.

Jump to Staff Specialist ↓

Visiting Medical Officer (VMO)

Sessional contractor paid per session. No leave, no employer super. Suits doctors working across multiple facilities.

Jump to VMO ↓

Staff Specialist — salary

QLD Staff Specialists are paid on an L-number scale (L18–L27) with annual increments. The Professional Development Allowance ($22,145/year) is paid on top of base salary and is not included in the figures below. Superannuation is 12.75%.

Grade	Base salary	Notes
Staff Specialist Level 18	$222,059	Entry level for Fellowship-qualified specialists under MOCA7.
Staff Specialist Level 21	$239,901
Staff Specialist Level 24	$257,932
Staff Specialist Level 27	$281,545	Top of the L18–L27 Staff Specialist scale.
Senior Staff Specialist	$293,429	L28 certified rate; L29 tops the certified scale at $309,304 (from 1 July 2026).

Figures are the certified MOCA7 Schedule 1 rates payable from 1 July 2026 — before the pending CPI Uplift Adjustment (capped +0.5%) that Queensland Health is due to publish. PDA of $22,145/year is additional and not included above. Superannuation: 12.75%.

Data note: Base salary figures are the certified MOCA7 wage-schedule rates payable from 1 July 2026 (QIRC CB128 of 2025, Schedule 1 Table 1.1). The March 2026 Brisbane CPI triggered MOCA7's CPI Uplift Adjustment (capped at +0.5%, compounding), so Queensland Health is due to publish slightly higher final rates. Verify against the MOCA7 wage schedule on QLD Health's wage rates page before any employment decision.

Private practice

QLD Staff Specialists can access private practice billing through their hospital. The terms of the private practice arrangement are governed by Queensland Health policy and the individual's MOCA7 contract. Private practice income is separate from the base salary and PDA figures above. A Right of Private Practice scheme exists at most major Queensland public hospitals.

On-call, callback & penalty rates

Payment type	Rate	Notes
On-call availability	Per MOCA7 schedule	On-call rates are set in the MOCA7 Agreement. Contact QLD Health HR for current hourly amounts.
Overtime (weekday)	150% for first 2 hours, then 200%	Hours beyond ordinary rostered hours on weekdays.
Saturday	150% of ordinary rate
Sunday	200% of ordinary rate
Public holiday	250% of ordinary rate
Rural A&R Allowance	Up to 40% of base from 1 July 2026 (previously 35%)	Applies to eligible rural and remote positions under MOCA7.

VMO — sessional rates

Queensland's Visiting Medical Officers' Employees (QLD Health) CA (VMO1) 2023 (QIRC CB/2024/15) is one of the few states with a formally published sessional rate schedule. All VMO1 rates use a 48% loaded model — superannuation and on-costs are bundled into the hourly rate rather than paid separately. The agreement covers Visiting Specialists, Visiting Senior Specialists, and Visiting General Practitioners.

Service type	Rate per session (4 h)	Notes
Visiting Specialist — 1st Year	$804.16	$201.04/hr × 4 hrs (48% loaded rate, effective 1 July 2025).
Visiting Specialist — 2nd Year	$831.60	$207.90/hr × 4 hrs (48% loaded rate, effective 1 July 2025).
Visiting Specialist — 3rd Year	$858.12	$214.53/hr × 4 hrs (48% loaded rate, effective 1 July 2025).
Visiting Specialist — 4th Year	$879.72	$219.93/hr × 4 hrs (48% loaded rate, effective 1 July 2025).
Visiting Senior Specialist	$955.72	$238.93/hr × 4 hrs (48% loaded rate, effective 1 July 2025).
Visiting GP (1st–3rd Year / with FRACGP 1st Year)	$698.32	$174.58/hr × 4 hrs (48% loaded rate, effective 1 July 2025).
Visiting GP with FRACGP — 3rd Year+	$751.24	$187.81/hr × 4 hrs (48% loaded rate, effective 1 July 2025).

Rates confirmed from VMO1 wages schedule (QLD Health, effective 1 July 2025).
The 48% loaded rate bundles superannuation and on-costs — do not compare directly to NSW or other states where superannuation is paid separately on top of the session rate.
VMO1 does not provide for standard Award overtime or penalty rates — the sessional rate is the total payment for the session. On-call and callback obligations are set by individual contract.
Hours beyond the session may be billed at the hourly rate under VMO1.
Fee-for-service VMOs bill Medicare directly and operate outside VMO1 — their rates are determined by the MBS and private billing arrangements.
Rural VMO placements may attract additional allowances under separate QLD Health policy.

Staff Specialist vs VMO

Feature	Staff Specialist	VMO
Employment type	Salaried employee of Queensland Health	Independent contractor
Pay scale	L18–L27+ MOCA7 base salary	VMO1 2023 sessional rate (48% loaded; $804–$956/4hr session for specialists)
Annual leave	5 weeks paid + 17.5% loading	No — self-funded
Sick leave	Paid	No
Superannuation	12.75% employer contribution	Self-funded
PDA	Yes ($22,145/year)	No
Private practice	Available via hospital RPP arrangement	Independent billing
Rural allowance	35–40% A&R allowance for eligible positions	Negotiated per contract
Insurance	WorkCover covered by employer	Self-funded medical indemnity + income protection
Career progression	L18 → L27 → Senior Staff Specialist	No set progression
Salary packaging	~$9,010 FBT-free (EPHA — standard public hospital)	Not applicable

Frequently asked questions

What does the L-number scale mean and where would I start?

QLD Health uses a pay classification from L18 (entry-level Staff Specialist) through L27+ (Senior Staff Specialist). Fellowship-qualified specialists with limited post-Fellowship experience typically enter around L18–L20; those with several years' specialist experience negotiate higher entry. The specific starting level is agreed at appointment with QLD Health.

What is the PDA and can I use it on anything I want?

The Professional Development Allowance ($22,145/year under MOCA7) covers conferences, courses, journal subscriptions, and approved professional development activities. It is a defined entitlement paid to eligible Staff Specialists — not discretionary income — and has an approved-purposes policy. Contact your health service for what qualifies.

How does the Rural Attraction and Retention Allowance work?

Eligible rural and remote QLD Health positions attract an A&R Allowance of 35% of base salary, rising to 40% from 1 July 2026 under MOCA7. Not every regional position qualifies — the list of eligible locations is set by QLD Health. At Senior Staff Specialist level, the allowance can add over $100,000/year to base salary. Confirm eligibility with your prospective hospital or QLD Health Medical Workforce.

I'm a senior registrar finishing fellowship — how does the move to Staff Specialist pay work?

The transition happens at appointment, not at Fellowship completion. Once you hold your Fellowship and secure a Staff Specialist position, your pay moves immediately to the MOCA7 Staff Specialist scale from your first day in the role. There is no transitional grade between registrar and Staff Specialist.

QLD VMO1 rates look lower than NSW — why?

QLD's VMO1 uses a 48% loaded rate model where superannuation and on-costs are bundled into the hourly rate, rather than paid separately on top of the session rate as in NSW. When you adjust for this difference, QLD and NSW VMO rates are considerably more comparable than the headline per-session figures suggest.

Can a QLD Staff Specialist also work VMO sessions?

It is possible, but subject to QLD Health's conflict of interest and secondary employment policies. Staff Specialists wanting to do sessional VMO work — particularly at a different health service — typically need written approval from their principal employer. Approval is more straightforward when there is no conflict with rostered duties.