A formal ballot of specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors¹ in England, and a re-ballot of consultants to extend their industrial action mandate, both launch today as talks between representatives from the BMA and Government over how to resolve both pay disputes continue.
Following informal talks with Government and results from the indicative ballot for SAS doctors² – which found 88% of respondents would be prepared to strike over worsening pay and working conditions – the BMA’s SAS committee accepted the invitation for formal negotiations.

While a credible offer has not yet been put forward, the committee says there is opportunity to move towards a deal as talks continue and avoid a third group of doctors undertaking industrial action.

Dr Ujjwala Anand Mohite, BMA SAS committee chair, said:

“It’s disappointing that despite Government inviting us to talks it has failed to present us with a credible offer. Whilst talks continue to progress we are clearly still somewhat short of the credible offer we are asking Government for. We are therefore asking SAS doctors to give us the mandate for action, should we need it because the current round of talks fail.

“SAS doctors have made it very clear that we do not want to strike, we want to work and care for our patients, but we can no longer ignore the profession’s ever-growing pay and working conditions concerns – it’s driving doctors out of our health service and leaving those of us who remain with an unmanageable workload all while feeling undervalued and burnt out.

“Industrial action is our absolute last resort, and we remain hopeful that we’ll receive a credible offer as talks continue.

“It is in the Government’s gift to find a resolution before Christmas and avoid strike action; patients and our NHS are relying on our leaders to do so.”

Meanwhile, following the BMA’s consultants committee inviting the Government to meet a month ago, productive and intensive talks began last week after four weeks’ delay from the Government. Whilst progress so far has been insufficient to change plans to launch the re-ballot today, with these talks ongoing, the BMA’s consultants committee will not be announcing new strike dates at present.

Dr Vishal Sharma, BMA consultants committee chair, said:

“We gave the Government a month to get back around the table. Whilst it’s been incredibly frustrating that the Government didn’t respond until a few days before the deadline, we have now commenced talks.

“These discussions have been constructive and are ongoing. Therefore, given our willingness to resolve this dispute we are not announcing further strike dates right now – but reserve the right to do so if necessary.

“Our re-ballot begins today as planned as it’s vital that, even during these negotiations, we continue to have a legal mandate to call more industrial action if they break down.

“Neither the Government nor senior doctors themselves want consultants to be on strike – we’d both much rather we were in hospitals seeing patients.

“To prevent further strikes we need the Government to commit to fix pay now and for the future, only then can we not only resolve this dispute, but retain the NHS’s most expert clinicians at a time they’re needed most.”

Both the ballot of SAS doctors and re-ballot of consultants in England begin today (6 November) and close on 18 December, giving mandates until June next year3.

Ends

Notes to editors

The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice advocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.

1. SAS doctors are senior and highly skilled healthcare professionals who, for many different reasons, decided not to follow the traditional consultant or GP pathway. The majority work in hospitals, alongside junior doctors and consultants, but some also work in the community
2. The SAS indicative ballot was launched on 25th September and closed on 16th October.
3. The consultants’ current mandate for strike action ends on 26 December. Today’s ballots close on 18 December, and if successful, the mandates will run until 17 June 2024.
4. SAS doctors have been their pay fall by up to 31% in real terms since 2008/09. To address this, the BMA is seeking an above-inflationary uplift for this year and meaningful steps to start addressing longer term pay erosion, including through DDRB reform, that has seen contracts in the profession disproportionately disadvantaged. The BMA is also calling for improvements to SAS doctors' working conditions and to aid their career progression. More information here.
5. Consultant pay in England has fallen by 35% in real terms since 2008/09. To address this, the BMA’s consultants committee is calling for an at-least inflationary pay uplift (as of April 2023) this year and for reform of the pay review body (the DDRB) so that it can make truly independent recommendations that restore the value of consultant pay free from Government interference. More information here.