GPs have accused the Scottish Government of imposing a "demoralising" pay deal that will widen the gap in earnings between doctors north of the Border and their colleagues in the rest of the UK.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said it was bitterly disappointed with the 1.25% non-negotiable offer, which it said would continue to place Scottish doctors at the lowest end of the salary scale in the country.

The organisation also criticised Health Secretary Alex Neil for claiming the deal had been reached "in agreement with GPs". A spokeswoman for the BMA said: "I don't know who Alex Neil agreed this with, but it wasn't with us."

It comes after an independent review body advised that a 2.29% rise was necessary to guarantee GPs 1% extra in their pay packets, while taking into account increased practice running costs and increasing services.

Doctors say the rise will equate to about a 0.5% increase on the average salary of £90,000. Doctors in England have fared comparatively better, with a 1.32% rise, and staff in Wales and Northern Ireland have received 1.5%.

GPs are paid a salary out of a funding pot agreed by the Government for individual practices, which varies depending on the services provided.

However, doctors say they are increasingly being asked to provide extra services for which they receive no additional funding, such as blood tests for patients before they are admitted to hospital.

GPs will be required to provide extra vaccinations this year as a result of an extension to Scotland's immunisation programme. They have also warned about an increase in paperwork, with more patients requesting letters to qualify for medical exemptions due to changes to the welfare system.

Dr John Ip, a Paisley-based GP and secretary for Glasgow Local Medical Committee, said the pay deal was "another attack" on demoralised staff. He said: "Other NHS workers are getting a 1% increase. We feel singled out as getting poorer treatment.

"We will take it on the chin, but it plays into our thoughts that we are not really valued."

It comes as NHS chiefs south of the Border are carrying out a review of out-of-hours care that may lead to GPs again taking responsibility for looking after patients outside normal working hours. UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says "disastrous" changes to GPs' hours have led to an extra four million people attending hospitals annually.