HEALTH Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of making a U-turn on doctors' bonuses after professionals earned nearly £22 million on top of their salaries last year.

Despite a Scottish Government promise to rein in a lucrative scheme, more than 800 consultants either entered the bonus system for the first time last year or scooped payments on a higher banding than they had previously.

Jackie Baillie, Labour's health spokeswoman, said Ms Sturgeon had "gone back on her word".

Distinction awards, which can give a consultant an annual pensionable top-up of between £31,959 and £75,889, cost the taxpayer £26m a year.

Discretionary points work on an eight-point sliding scale. A doctor who has one point gets a yearly top-up of around £3204, while a consultant with eight points gets more than £25,632 on top of their salary.

Points are awarded for an "above average" contribution.

An outcry over the bonuses prompted Ms Sturgeon to propose a freeze on the value of all awards and points in November 2010. She also called for a block on bonuses for new entrants and "no progression" through either scheme.

However, she has allowed the points system to remain almost untouched.

Ms Baillie said: "It is very disappointing that Nicola Sturgeon has gone back on her word at a time when our health service has lost 4500 staff."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We informed NHS boards that new discretionary points could be paid in 2011-12 for work done in 2010-11, and that remains the position for the next year."