We're there when you need us.
We know how it is to be on the frontline of healthcare.
We know the pressures you're under; so we provide employment support for you as well as for your general practice. From managing your workload, funding and contracts, we can give you the advice and resources you need.
We know how the health service works: so we can help you manage your practice and premises, from patient lists and data confidentiality, through the inner workings of PCNs, to leases, service charges and rent. We're experts in services provision, locum cover and contracts, and have plenty of experience in preparation for CQC inspections.
We know issues can arise, so we provide advice for employers, practice managers and medical managers, and mediation if things get difficult, as well as confidential 24/7 counselling and wellbeing support.
We'll look after you, and your practice. You look after your patients.
Your service is amazing! I feel very confident to turn to you for employment advice, I know you have my back and that of the practice to ensure processes are followed and the right outcome is achieved. Thank you for all your hard work!GP partner, BMA member
Backup when you need it the most
We've been on call for the medical profession for a long time.
That's why we offer backup and assistance to doctors throughout their career, from learning and development, through contract, legal and pension support, to someone to talk to if you need them, and much more.
Backup when you need it most.
From specialty selection through to physician, we know what support you might need at every stage of your career, right through to retirement.
- Employer advisory service for specialist HR and employment law advice for GP practices, GP partners and practice managers
- Fees calculator to calculate what fees you need to charge for non-contracted work to be financially viable
- Expert insurance advice from our partner Lloyd & Whyte
- Learning and continuous professional development resources for clinical and no-clinical skills
- Point of care support and patient information with ClinicalKey from Elsevier
- Pensions guidance and calculators
Our support for doctors goes beyond their careers.
For 190 years, the BMA has helped to ensure the voices of our members are heard, lobbying national and local governments on your behalf.
While you're caring for your patients, you can rest assured that our experienced teams are working at the highest level:
- Negotiating on your behalf over pay, funding and working conditions.
- Lobbying the government for better contract terms.
- Working in partnership with LMCs to overcome local operational issues – with your primary care network or Integrated Care Board – and agree beneficial negotiating proposals for annual contract negotiations with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care.
- Influencing the Care Quality Commission with a viewing to reducing the inspection burden on practices.
- In 2019, we secured a universal state indemnity scheme, saving individual GPs as much as £15,000 a year on their medical defence fees.
- Rebuild General Practice, our latest campaign to call on the government for better support.
All the resources you could ever need to advance and enhance your career.
Joining the BMA gives you access to:
- hundreds of CPD-accredited modules from BMJ Learning – popular topics for GP partners include Workload and time management, Assertiveness in the workplace, and Emotional intelligence, as well as clinical modules on hundreds of topics
- world-leading medical research journal, the BMJ in print and online to keep you up to date with the latest medical news
- BMA Library, with thousands of online journals, ClinicalKey for point of care support, and staff on hand to help you find the best evidence for your research
There is always someone to talk to.
We encourage anyone who is feeling under strain to seek support.
Support comes in various forms such as:
- 24/7 counselling and peer support services open to all doctors regardless of membership
- advice and guidance for all aspects of dealing with stress and preventing burnout
- networking groups and wellbeing hubs with peers
Standard membership
Standard membership offer includes all of the above benefits
£44.08 per month
Discount membership
Some concessions are available for certain groups (see FAQs below)
£15.58 per month
Special membership offer
New to the UK? Receive half-price membership for the first 2 years.
1st year in UK - free
Support for GP practices
We can even help you with preparing for a CQC inspection. We're here to support you and your practice.
- Our free HR and employment advice service helps you mitigate employment issues, such as contracts, mergers and grievances, so you're free to run your practice
- Get support with drafting a new partnership agreement that fits your practice and navigates difficult situations like 'last man standing' at preferential rates with BMA Law, or if you have an existing agreement, we can check it for free
- Our insurance partner Lloyd & Whyte is an expert in supporting GP practices - from cyber-attacks, to locums, to your premises, they can help make sure your practice is protected
- Access ClinicalKey from Elsevier, a point of care tool that helps standardise medical knowledge across your organisation. When your staff’s decisions and treatment plans are based on the latest evidence, they save time and enhance patient outcomes
- Our Fees calculator determines how much you need to charge for non-contracted work to be financially viable
- Our CPI modeller for GPs shows how the rate of inflation may impact your pension.
The advice was very helpful and supportive as we had never dealt with a situation like this before at the Practice. The advisor explained things in simple terms which was easy for us to follow.GP partner, BMA member
1. Complete our easy online application form in 5 minutes
2. You're a member! Start enjoying your benefits straight away.
3. We'll send you a welcome pack in the post.
Included in your membership
Including access to:
- BMA Law services, up to 25% off for you and your family.
- Discounted financial products and advice with Chase De Vere Medical and Sandison Easson.
- Over 70 BMJ journals (print and online), worth £866 a year.
- CPD accredited e-learning modules from BMA & BMJ learning, worth over £114.
We're here to help you from the moment you join us. If you have a need that predates your BMA membership, assistance may be limited to telephone and email service only. Contact the BMA to discuss any issue you have and we'll let you know where you stand.
Joining for one month only is not recommended as you won't be guaranteed continued support and workplace protection. However, you can leave after one calendar month, if you choose. BMA membership is a reoccurring yearly membership. The subscription year runs from 1 October to 30 September.
We offer a discount for spouses/partners of BMA members. If you're on maternity leave, on lower income or having a career break, going overseas, a doctor new to the UK or permanently retired, we can offer a reduced subscription rate depending on your circumstances. After 50 years of membership, we give it to you for free.
As a BMA member, you may be eligible to claim tax back from your subscription.
We only offer direct debit as a payment option when joining online, with the ability to pay monthly or annually. You can discuss other payment options with our Membership Services team at [email protected].
See our full membership FAQs page for more information about joining or get in touch.
