South Australia › Consultants & Specialists
SA Consultant & Specialist Pay 2025–26
South Australian public hospital specialists are employed under the SA Health Salaried Medical Officers Enterprise Agreement 2025 (SMOEA 2025). The agreement provides a 9-step Consultant / Senior Consultant salary scale plus a substantial Attraction and Retention Allowance (A&R) of 30–67% of base salary, depending on specialty — a major feature unique to SA. A separate Visiting Medical Specialists Enterprise Agreement 2023 (VMSEA 2023) covers sessional VMOs. SA Health job advertisements often reference 'MD1/MD2' or 'MDP' codes that roughly map to steps within the SMOEA Consultant and Senior Practitioner scales.
Key takeaways
- SA Consultant base salary runs $235,557–$310,380 (Steps 1–9, GPSSSS, effective 14 April 2025) under SMOEA 2025 — before the A&R Allowance.
- Attraction & Retention Allowance of 30% (other specialties), 50% (Anaesthetics/ICU), or 67% (Emergency/MedSTAR) is paid ON TOP of base salary — adding $70,000–$208,000/year to a senior rate.
- Capped Private Practice allows Other Consultants to earn up to 65% of base salary from private billing — Emergency Medicine/MedSTAR receive 0% but a higher A&R instead.
- SA has a dedicated Visiting Medical Specialists Enterprise Agreement 2023 (VMSEA 2023) for sessional specialists — one of few states with a formally separate VMO instrument.
Which model applies?
Most South Australia specialists work as Consultant / Senior Consultants, VMOs, or hold concurrent appointments across both models.
Consultant / Senior Consultant
Salaried employee of SA Health under SMOEA 2025. Consultant/Senior Consultant (Steps 1–9): $235,557–$310,380 (GPSSSS, Apr 2025). Attraction & Retention Allowance of 30–67% of base paid on top. Separate VMSEA 2023 covers sessional VMOs.
Jump to Consultant / Senior Consultant ↓Visiting Medical Officer (VMO)
Sessional contractor paid per session. No leave, no employer super. Suits doctors working across multiple facilities.
Jump to VMO ↓Consultant / Senior Consultant — salary
SMOEA 2025 uses a 9-step Consultant / Senior Consultant scale for Fellowship-qualified specialists. Rates shown are from Schedule 1.1 (GPSSSS — applicable to most specialists; appears in SA Health job ads). A parallel MOSSSS scheme (Schedule 2.1) has lower base rates ($197,410–$260,117) but higher salary sacrifice packaging benefit. Non-specialist Senior Practitioners are on a separate scale (Schedule 1.3, steps $177,051–$228,037). The A&R Allowance (30–67% of base) is payable on top and is NOT included in figures below.
| Grade | Base Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Medical Practitioner (non-specialist, Step 1) | $177,051 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.3, Step 1. Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Senior Medical Practitioner (non-specialist, Step 6) | $228,037 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.3, Step 6 (top). Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Consultant Step 1 | $235,557 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.1. Entry specialist consultant. Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Consultant Step 2 | $244,795 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.1. Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Consultant Step 3 | $254,035 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.1. Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Consultant Step 4 | $267,888 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.1. Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Senior Consultant Step 5 | $277,126 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.1. Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Senior Consultant Step 6 | $286,363 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.1. Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Senior Consultant Step 7 | $293,755 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.1. Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Senior Consultant Step 8 | $301,144 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.1. Effective 14 April 2025. |
| Senior Consultant Step 9 | $310,380 | GPSSSS Schedule 1.1. Top of Consultant scale. Effective 14 April 2025. |
All figures from SMOEA 2025 Schedule 1.1 (GPSSSS), effective 14 April 2025. The Attraction & Retention Allowance (30–67% of base) is paid in addition and is not included above. A parallel MOSSSS scheme has lower base rates ($197,410–$260,117) but medical-specific salary sacrifice benefits. Superannuation: ~12%.
Private practice
On-call, callback & penalty rates
| Payment type | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A&R Allowance — Other Consultants | 30% of annual base salary | Paid fortnightly on top of base. Not included in salary table above. Applies to most specialties except EM, ICU, Anaesthetics, MedSTAR. |
| A&R Allowance — Anaesthetist / ICU | 50% of annual base salary | Higher A&R rate for Anaesthetics and Intensive Care consultants. |
| A&R Allowance — Emergency / MedSTAR | 67% of annual base salary | Highest A&R rate (67%); these specialties have 0% private practice access instead. |
| Remote call (night, pt-Sat/Sun/PH) | $50.07/event (Schedule 3.2A) | Confirmed from SMOEA 2025 Schedule 3.2A, effective 14 April 2025. |
| Remote call (full Sat/Sun/PH) | $79.54/event (Schedule 3.2B) | Confirmed from SMOEA 2025 Schedule 3.2B, effective 14 April 2025. |
| Recall minimum | 3 hours at 150% + Schedule 4.1 hourly add-on | Consultant Step 1–4: $21.74/hr add-on; Senior Consultant Step 5–9: $36.24/hr (after 14 April 2025). Sunday/PH rates higher. |
| FHA (Flexible Hours Arrangement, voluntary) | +25% for 7am–8am and 6pm–10pm Mon–Fri; +50% Sat/Sun | Only for consultants who elect to participate. Public holidays +150%. |
VMO — sessional rates
SA has a dedicated SA Health Visiting Medical Specialists Enterprise Agreement 2023 (VMSEA 2023) for sessional visiting specialists. This is a separate instrument from the salaried SMOEA. Re-bargaining for a new VMSEA commenced September 2024.
| Service type | Rate per session (4 h) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General / non-procedural | Per VMSEA 2023 schedule | Rate determined by VMSEA 2023 specialty classification. |
| Procedural / specialist | Per VMSEA 2023 schedule | Higher tier; see VMSEA 2023 for specialty-specific rates. |
- One session = 4 hours under VMSEA 2023.
- SA Health does not publish the full VMSEA 2023 rate schedule on its public website — download the agreement directly to confirm current rates: https://www.agd.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/809297/SA-Health-Visiting-Medical-Specialists-Enterprise-Agreement-2023-Approved.pdf
- Leave, superannuation, and insurance are the VMO's responsibility.
- Sessional VMOs are paid per session by SA Health. Fee-for-service VMOs bill Medicare directly and are not covered by the VMSEA — rates and terms are set by individual contract.
- Private practice billing is separate from health service sessional fees.
- Re-bargaining for VMSEA 2024/2025 commenced September 2024 — a new agreement may be in effect.
Consultant / Senior Consultant vs VMO
| Feature | Consultant / Senior Consultant | VMO |
|---|---|---|
| Employment type | Salaried employee of SA Health | Independent contractor |
| Classification | MDP3/MDP4 (non-specialist) or MD1/MD2 (specialist) | Per VMSEA 2023 category |
| Annual leave | 5 weeks paid + 17.5% loading | No — self-funded |
| Sick leave | Paid | No |
| Superannuation | ~12% employer contribution | Self-funded |
| Private practice | SA Private Practice Scheme (SMOEA 2025) | Independent billing |
| Total package potential | Step 9 + 30% A&R + 65% PP cap ≈ ~$605k (Other specialty); EM Step 9 + 67% A&R, no PP ≈ ~$518k | N/A — sessional only |
| Insurance | WorkCover covered by employer | Self-funded medical indemnity + income protection |
| Governing instrument | SMOEA 2025 | VMSEA 2023 |
| Salary packaging | ~$9,010 FBT-free (EPHA — standard public hospital) | Not applicable |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every SA consultant get the Attraction and Retention Allowance?
No — the A&R Allowance is specialty-specific under SMOEA 2025. Rates are 30% of base salary for most specialties, 50% for Anaesthetics and ICU, and 67% for Emergency Medicine and MedSTAR. Some non-specialist Senior Medical Practitioners may receive a lower rate or none. The A&R Allowance is paid fortnightly on top of base salary and is included in the superannuation base.
What's the difference between GPSSSS and MOSSSS?
Both are pay schemes under SMOEA 2025 running in parallel. GPSSSS (Government Pays Super on the Salary Sacrifice Schedule) has higher base rates — $235,557–$310,380 at Consultant Steps 1–9 — and is what appears in most SA Health job advertisements. MOSSSS (Medical Officers Salary Sacrifice Schedule) has lower base rates ($197,410–$260,117) but includes medical-specific salary sacrifice benefits. For some doctors the after-tax position under MOSSSS is comparable. A financial adviser can model both for your situation.
As an Emergency Medicine consultant in SA, can I do any private billing?
No. Emergency Medicine and MedSTAR consultants under SMOEA 2025 have 0% private practice access under the capped private practice scheme. This is a deliberate trade-off — those specialties receive the highest A&R Allowance (67% of base salary) in place of private practice income.
How does the capped private practice scheme work for other specialties?
Under the SMOEA 2025 Private Practice Scheme (PPA 2008, Scheme One), salaried Consultants can earn additional income from private patients in the public hospital setting, up to a cap expressed as a percentage of base salary: 65% for Other Consultants, 45% for Anaesthetists, 35% for ICU, 20% for Rehabilitation, and 50% for Rural Generalists. Income above the cap goes to the hospital rather than the consultant.
I'm a UK-trained specialist — what step would I start at and does the A&R Allowance apply to me?
Yes — the A&R Allowance applies to all Consultants in eligible specialties employed by SA Health, regardless of training background. Entry step (Consultant Step 1–9) is assessed at appointment based on years of post-Fellowship specialist experience. UK consultants with several years' post-CCT experience typically enter at Step 3 or above.
Is the VMSEA 2023 still current for SA VMOs?
Re-bargaining for VMSEA 2024/2025 commenced in September 2024, so a new agreement may now be in effect. Check the SA Attorney-General's Department website or contact SA Health VMO contracting for the current agreement status before relying on VMSEA 2023 rates.